Croatia Ready to Supply Crude to Hungary and Slovakia
Croatia's Assurance of Supply
In the wake of disruptions to Russian crude oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline, Croatia has pledged to ensure uninterrupted supply to Hungary and Slovakia. These two nations, reliant on the Druzhba pipeline, faced a month-long period without Russian oil following reported damage to the infrastructure. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic emphasized Croatia's commitment to regional energy security.
"Croatia stands ready as a reliable partner to guarantee the energy security and the seamless economic operations of both Hungary and Slovakia," stated Plenkovic, as reported by Croatian state media. Both Hungary and Slovakia have been drawing upon their strategic petroleum reserves to mitigate the impact of the supply halt.
Pipeline Damage and Supply Halt
The Druzhba pipeline, a crucial artery for delivering Russian crude to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, sustained damage in late January. Ukraine attributed the damage to a Russian drone strike. Consequently, Russian oil deliveries to the two EU member states most dependent on this route have been suspended since January 27th.
JANAF's Role and Future Shipments
Currently, Croatia is engaged in discussions with Hungary, Slovakia, and the European Commission to formulate a comprehensive plan for ensuring crude oil supplies to these EU members. These countries have maintained economic ties with Russia since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.
JANAF, Croatia's pipeline operator, has publicly stated its capacity to supply non-Russian oil to meet the demands of Hungary and Slovakia. The company has underscored its commitment to partnership and reliability as core business values, ensuring that crude oil supply to Central European nations remains secure.
According to a statement released on February 20th, JANAF is actively transporting substantial quantities of non-Russian crude oil for MOL Group, Hungary's prominent energy firm. Furthermore, three additional tankers carrying non-Russian oil destined for MOL Group are en route to the Omišalj Terminal. JANAF also confirmed that a shipment for MOL is currently being unloaded. Looking ahead, seven additional tankers carrying non-Russian oil are expected to arrive for MOL Group by early April, reinforcing the stability of supply for the region.
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