• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Tsahkna: Hungary's voting rights in the EU must be suspended

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

14.03.2025

Today, despite Hungary's opposition, the European Union decided to extend sanctions against around 2400 individuals and entities who undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. However, due to pressure from Hungary, three oligarchs who directly contribute to Russia's aggression and who have close ties to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin were removed from the sanctions list.

"EU sanctions are in force for six months, which means that sanctions need to be reviewed and extended every six months. The extension calls for a unanimous decision by member states," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said, adding that unfortunately, there is no agreement today due to Hungary. "For political reasons, Hungary made the extension of sanctions conditional on the removal of Russian businessmen Viatcheslav Kantor, Mikhail Degtyarev and Gulbakhor Ismailova from the sanctions list."

"Estonia supports the extension of sanctions. There are no grounds for easing the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia and individuals linked to its aggression. Russia's aims - subjugating Ukraine and restructuring Europe's security architecture - have not changed. Russia is continuing its war of aggression against Ukraine," Tsahkna underlined, adding that the sanctions that are the basis for freezing €200 billion worth of Russian Central Bank assets will have to be renewed as early as July. "Hungary is systematically working against the common security interests of Europe, and therefore, we must quickly take specific steps and move forward with the Article 7 procedure, that is, suspending Hungary's voting rights."

Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union allows for a suspension of certain rights (such as voting rights in the European Council), if there is a serious and persistent breach by a member state of the values that are the foundation of the EU and referred to in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union (respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities). Nevertheless, that country's membership obligations remain binding.

On 17 March 2014, the Council of the European Union imposed restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Since then, the EU has used this regulation to impose sanctions on around 2400 individuals in relation to Russia's aggression in Ukraine. These are individuals who undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. They include Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, members of the State Duma, senior officials, military officials, entrepreneurs and oligarchs, propagandists, military industry companies, and individuals responsible for the deportation of children.

As a preventive measure, the Government of Estonia yesterday imposed a national financial sanction that freezes and makes unavailable the funds and economic resources of individuals, entities or authorities that support or contribute to the activities of the Russian Federation, and bans natural persons from entering Estonia.

"It is an important measure to counter the persistent and continued actions of the aggressor state against Estonia and Ukraine. The order allows us to impose a national sanction on individuals and entities that contribute to the actions and policies of the Russian Federation that undermine and threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, and stability and security in Ukraine," Tsahkna said. "I decided to impose the national sanction on Kantor, Degtyarev and Ismailova in response to their exclusion from the EU sanctions list."