Minister Szijjártó stressed that from Hungary’s perspective, the ban would leave the country with only more expensive and less reliable energy options. Without Russian oil and gas, he said, neither Hungary’s energy security nor the preservation of regulated household utility prices can be guaranteed.
“We are protecting the Hungarian people and Hungarian families, and we will not allow Brussels to destroy the system of regulated utility prices,” the minister said. He added that Hungary will continue to base its energy security and the maintenance of utility price cuts on affordable Russian oil and gas supplies.
To that end, the government has formally submitted a lawsuit to the European Court of Justice, requesting the annulment of the REPowerEU regulation.
Minister Szijjártó explained that Hungary’s legal action rests on three main arguments. First, he said, Brussels did not have the authority to adopt such a measure, as banning energy imports can only be achieved through sanctions, which would require unanimous approval by all member states. He described it as “absurd” that the decision was adopted under the guise of trade policy.
Second, he argued that the EU lacks the competence to determine where member states purchase their energy, as the EU treaties clearly state that decisions on energy sourcing fall within national authority.
Third, Szijjártó pointed to the EU’s so-called “principle of energy solidarity,” which obliges the Union to ensure the security of energy supply for all member states. He said the Brussels decision clearly violates this principle, particularly in Hungary’s case.
The foreign minister estimated that the court proceedings could last between 18 months and two years. “This lawsuit must be seen through to the end,” he said, adding that doing so requires a continued mandate for the current government.
He warned that political forces on the opposing side include energy experts who have long lobbied for replacing Russian energy with more expensive supplies from Western companies. According to Szijjártó, if the opposition were to win the election, the lawsuit would likely be abandoned, resulting in household energy costs potentially tripling.
“I suggest we do not experiment with that outcome,” the minister concluded.