BUDAPEST, October 21. /TASS/. Hungary will turn to the European Court of Justice to challenge the Council of the European Union’s ruling to prohibit Russian gas deliveries, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said, commenting on the decision made by EU ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.
In his words, Hungary viewed the Council of the European Union’s decision as wrongful, because it was made by a qualified majority rather than by consensus. The ministers argued that it was enough, because the matter was related to trade, not sanctions. Hungary and Slovakia, who opposed the decision, were unable to exercise their veto right.
"Therefore we will, of course, turn to the European Court [of Justice]," Szijjarto told the M1 television channel in an interview.
After the meeting in Luxembourg on October 20, Szijjarto said that Hungary will resist the European Commission’s plan to stop all Russian fuel supplies from 2028. All available political and judicial instruments will be used for the purpose, he added.
On Monday, the EU Council approved the European Commission's proposal to ban Russian gas purchases from January 1, 2028. This decision includes a ban on the purchase of both pipeline and liquefied natural gas from Russia. It is to be implemented in stages, with the full ban coming into effect on January 1, 2028. Short-term contracts concluded before 17 June 2025 may continue until 17 June 2026, whereas long-term contracts may run until 1 January 2028.
The European Parliament is pushing for an even stricter ban, demanding a halt to all Russian gas supplies to EU countries from January 1, 2027. Earlier, Hungary expressed its intention to seek an exemption from these requirements. The decision adopted by the EU Council stipulates that "amendments to existing contracts will be permitted only for narrowly defined operational purposes and cannot lead to increased volumes, except for some specific flexibilities for landlocked member states affected by recent changes in supply routes.".