Croatia rejects Hungary's request to accept Russian oil through the Adria pipeline / Budapest has already rejected Zagreb's alternative oil offer. “The Russian one is cheaper”

The Croatian company Janaf, which operates the Adria oil pipeline, rejected on Friday the request of the Hungarian oil company MOL to ensure the transport of Russian oil through this pipeline, to replace deliveries through the Drujba pipeline.

Deliveries through Drujba have been interrupted since January 27, following a Russian attack that, according to Kiev, damaged the infrastructure of the pipeline in western Ukraine, but Hungary claims instead that it is Ukrainian political blackmail against it.

In its response, the Croatian company states that it rejects what it calls Hungary's “ultimatum”, arguing that it thus respects the sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union after the war in Ukraine, reports the EFE agency, quoted by Agerpres.

Through these sanctions, the EU has already decided to stop imports of Russian oil transported by sea, but has made an exception for oil delivered through pipelines, as Hungary and Slovakia are landlocked and can find it more difficult to obtain oil from other sources. This exception is Hungary's argument in the request addressed to Croatia regarding the transit of Russian oil through the Adria pipeline.

The Croatian company also states that it already supplies Hungary with oil from sources that are not subject to EU sanctions and that it has the capacity to cover the oil needs of this country and also of Slovakia through that pipeline.

Referring to such alternatives that have been suggested to him, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emphasized earlier on Friday that the main problem is not so much finding other sources outside of Russia, but the cost of these alternatives, Russian oil being cheaper. Also, Hungary previously reproached Croatia for the too high transit fees it asks for the transport of oil through the Adria pipeline.

Hungary and Slovakia are forced to use their strategic oil reserves after the transit of Russian oil through the Drujba pipeline to Ukraine has been halted since January 27, following what the country says was a Russian drone attack, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says repairs will take time. But Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico maintain that repairs after that attack are complete and accuse Ukraine of keeping the pipeline blocked in an act of political blackmail against Budapest, as Orban refuses to support it in the war with Russia and opposes Ukraine's future EU membership.

In retaliation, Hungary halted deliveries of diesel, gas and electricity to Ukraine, and on Monday vetoed the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia and also blocked a €90 billion European financial aid offer to Ukraine.

In turn, Slovakia has suspended electricity supplies to Ukraine. Prime Minister Fico said on Thursday that he could take further measures against Ukraine if it does not unblock the flow of Russian oil. The Slovak prime minister described Ukraine as a corrupt country that behaves with disrespect towards EU member states. “And we are expected to raise our hands and vote 'yes' like sheep,” Fico said.

The latter had a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president on Friday. Fico then stated about this discussion that it left him with a “clear impression” that Ukraine does not want to allow the resumption of the flow of Russian oil through the Drujba pipeline. Moreover, added the Slovak prime minister, Zelenski rejected the request of Hungary and Slovakia as a European mission to participate in which these two countries check the condition of the pipeline in Ukraine.