Croatia offers Adria pipeline to secure Hungary, Slovakia oil supplies

Croatia has offered to deliver oil to Hungary and Slovakia via its Adria pipeline to offset disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said. Talks on the plan are ongoing with both countries and the European Commission, Reuters reports.

The Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia—the only EU nations still importing Russian oil—was halted on January 27 after damage that Ukraine attributed to a Russian drone strike.

“Croatia is here as a neighbour, partner and friend to ensure the energy security and smooth functioning of the economies of both Hungary and Slovakia,” Plenković said.

The Adria pipeline has the capacity to transport up to 15 million tons of oil per year, which Plenković said is sufficient to fully meet the needs of both countries.

The European Commission confirmed on February 25 that Croatia is evaluating whether it can legally import seaborne Russian crude to supply Hungary and Slovakia via the Adria route. According to the pipeline operator Janaf, a cargo of non-Russian crude is already being unloaded for Hungarian refiner MOL Group, with seven more shipments expected by April.

By Vafa Guliyeva