Slovakia will file a lawsuit with the Court of Justice of the European Union against the RePowerEU regulation, which bans imports of Russian natural gas from November 2027, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced, framing the move as a defense of national interests and EU legal principles. Speaking in Bratislava, Fico said Slovakia would argue that the regulation violates the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, stressing, “We will seek to have this regulation declared contrary to the fundamental principles on which the European Union is based.” He described the ban as an “ideological decision” and warned it amounts to an “energy suicide” for the EU, particularly for smaller countries dependent on pipeline transit.
Fico confirmed that Hungary, which also voted against RePowerEU, plans to file a similar lawsuit, though separately, noting that “it is entirely normal that we will coordinate the arguments and reasoning of these lawsuits.” He warned that ending Russian gas supplies—including pipeline deliveries and long-term contracts—could leave Slovakia vulnerable as a country “at the end of the pipeline,” questioning whether larger EU states would consider the needs of smaller ones during potential shortages. The prime minister expressed hope that the war in Ukraine would end before the ban takes effect and that the EU might reconsider the decision.
The opposition, however, strongly criticized both the substance and the process of the government’s actions. Progressive Slovakia (PS) claimed that Slovakia voted against RePowerEU without a proper mandate from the relevant parliamentary committee. MP Beáta Jurík said the foreign minister sent a state secretary to the General Affairs Council “without a mandate from the committee, which is binding for the government’s actions,” adding that “the state secretary simply could not express the position of the Slovak Republic.” PS says it is considering further legal steps, rejecting government claims that Slovakia’s stance was already well known.
Opposition figures also accused the government of long-term failures in energy diversification. KDH leader Milan Majerský reminded that Slovakia committed to diversification back in 2014, saying, “He failed to fulfill that task year after year. What remains is dependence on Russian gas.” SaS MP Karol Galek went further, accusing the government of undermining EU unity: “Robert Fico and his ministers have once again shown that they are nothing but pro-Russian trolls.” Galek rejected claims that Russian gas is essential for Slovakia, arguing, “No one today except Slovakia and Hungary wants Russian gas. This is just theater for Fico’s voters.”
Additional criticism came from Movement Slovakia, whose caucus leader Michal Šipoš questioned the economic argument behind the lawsuit. “Countries like the Czech Republic and Poland cut themselves off from Russian gas and do not have higher prices—indeed, theirs are lower than ours,” he said, adding, “Let Fico explain how cheap Russian gas really is.” Meanwhile, KDH deputy leader Viliam Karas struck a more measured tone, noting that while Slovakia must respect EU decisions, “it is not tragic if a member state files a lawsuit,” adding that a court ruling on EU versus national competences could be “very interesting” and legally valuable.
The European Commission responded that it is prepared to defend the RePowerEU regulation in court. Spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said the Commission’s goal is “never to end up in a situation where any of our member states legally challenges our legislation,” but acknowledged that member states have the right to do so. Her colleague Paula Pinho emphasized Brussels’ confidence in its legal footing, stating, “We really stand behind this legislation… and we are confident that we are in a position to defend legislation that was largely supported by member states.” As Slovakia prepares its legal challenge, the dispute highlights growing divisions within the EU over energy security, solidarity, and the pace of decoupling from Russian fossil fuels.
Source: TASR
