Slovakia Files Lawsuit with Court of Justice of EU over Russian Gas Import Ban

Bratislava, 28 April (TASR) - Slovakia on Friday (24 April) filed a lawsuit against a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 January 2026 that sets out a gradual phasing-out of imports of Russian natural gas as well as preparations for ending imports of Russian oil, Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) has posted on social media. The preparation of the lawsuit and its submission to the Court of Justice of the EU were announced by Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on 17 April. "The reason why we are filing the lawsuit is that we question the legal basis on which this decision was made. The regulation was approved as a trade policy measure by a qualified majority, although by its nature it's a decision with sanctioning elements in the area of foreign and security policy, where unanimity among member states is required," said the minister. According to him, such a procedure may disrupt the balance of power within the European Union and weaken the position of member states in decision-making on fundamental issues. The minister emphasised that he doesn't view the lawsuit as a conflict with the EU, but as a necessary tool for defending and protecting the fundamental principles on which the EU is founded. According to Susko, the decision of the Court of Justice of the EU may have a significant impact, particularly on countries that are heavily dependent on gas. According to the regulation in question, imports of Russian natural gas should be terminated by next autumn at the latest. ko/df