Slovakia declares “oil emergency” – pipeline paralyzed | EUROtoday

The Slovakian authorities has declared a “petroleum emergency” efficient Thursday, the TASR information company reported. This permits it to launch emergency reserves saved in state storage amenities to the Slovnaft refinery. This is meant to make sure that the availability to fuel stations within the nation doesn’t collapse.

The background to the measure is that because the finish of January, oil has not flowed from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine. Slovakia’s oil provide, in addition to Hungary’s, has to this point been largely depending on this.

Slovnaft is majority owned by the Hungarian MOL and has a de facto monopoly on the availability of gasoline and diesel in Slovakia.

Druzhba pipeline disrupted by Russian bombing

Slovnaft now additionally has the chance to acquire a part of the oil it wants from Croatia through the Adria oil pipeline that runs by means of Hungary into the nation. According to the refinery, it can take one other 20 to 30 days till these capacities may be totally utilized. The state ought to now bridge this time.

At the identical time, Slovnaft introduced that it could cease supplying oil support to Ukraine till additional discover as a result of it wanted all of the oil for its personal provide.

According to Ukrainian data, the Druzhba pipeline is interrupted by Russian bombing. However, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accuses the Ukrainian management of intentionally stopping deliveries from resuming. From the Ukrainian perspective, the acquisition of fuel and oil from Russia by Slovakia and Hungary contributes to the financing of the Russian struggle of aggression.