Hungary’s oil and gas group MOL has inked its first contracts to import Russian crude through Croatia, Hungary’s MTI news agency reported, citing Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. The oil will be shipped to Croatia by sea and then transported to refineries.
“MOL has ordered the first shipments, which are already en route. They will arrive at a Croatian port in early March, and from there, within 5–10 days, the oil will be transported to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia,” Szijjarto said.
He said Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian oil across its territory after Ukraine blocked flows on the Druzhba pipeline “for political reasons.” Szijjarto accused Kyiv of trying to trigger an energy crisis in Hungary ahead of parliamentary elections to weaken the current government and help the opposition Tisza party.
According to Szijjarto, Hungary and Slovakia have also appealed to the European Commission to enforce a rule allowing them to buy Russian oil via seaborne deliveries if pipeline transport is not possible. Earlier in February, authorities in both countries asked Croatia’s economy minister to permit supplies of Russian crude through the Adria pipeline, which runs across the Balkans.
Transit on the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine was halted in late January amid large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Hungary and Slovakia oppose tougher measures against Russia and have blocked related EU initiatives in the energy sector.
