Fico: EU Should Support Oil Flows via Druzhba as There's Risk of Oil Shock (2)

      Brussels, 20 March (TASR-correspondent) - Given that a combination of circumstances could lead to an oil crisis in Europe, the European Union (EU) should support Slovakia's and Hungary's efforts to have oil supplies resumed via the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has stated, assessing the results of Thursday's (19 March) EU summit.
        Fico said that since the outbreak of the war in Iran, the EU has already paid over €6 billion in higher fuel prices, and this situation, combined with Europe's economic developments and the provision of aid to Ukraine, is creating an "explosive mix". He pointed out that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned at the summit of the risks of rising interest rates, increasing inflation and a decline in the EU's economic performance.
        In this situation, Fico doesn't understand why the EU isn't pressuring Ukraine to speed up repairs to the Druzhba pipeline, to allow inspectors access and to make use of the technical expertise and EU funding offered for this purpose. He called it ridiculous that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is talking about six weeks for the repairs, which, according to Fico, coincides with the election in Hungary.
        "The situation will be very bad; it could even lead to an oil shock. Zelenskyy hasn't budged an inch; he's harming Slovakia economically, just as he's harming Hungary. He's already harmed us with the gas pipeline, when we lost transit fees," he added.
        Fico emphasised that this concerns oil, which, owing to an EU exemption, Slovakia and Hungary can continue to receive via pipeline and by sea until 2027. Fico claimed to have learnt at the summit that immediately after the election in Hungary, the EU will prepare legislation to repeal this exemption. "I'll consider this to be a significant encroachment on our national interests," he said.
        According to him, the EU has no influence on global events and lacks any solutions or tools to help member states if oil supplies were to run out.
        Croatian Prime Minister Alexander Plenkovic pointed out at the summit that the Adria pipeline can provide oil supplies for both Hungary and Slovakia. Fico claimed that he's never disputed this, but he fears that there may not be enough oil in the Croatian port, while flows through Druzhba could continue.
        "There's a huge difference between Russian oil and Western oil; Russian oil is significantly cheaper," he said, noting that the Druzhba pipeline, which runs from east to west, has been serving Europe since 1965.
        The prime minister added that it's fine if the Adria pipeline operates at full capacity, but he views it as a problem that the Croatians refuse to supply Russian oil, for which Slovakia has an exemption regarding imports, including by sea. He considers this to be a problem at a time when difficulties are beginning to arise with oil, its price and transit fees.
        "Why shut down Druzhba? The revenues that we pay Russia for oil and gas together amounts to 0.2 percent of all revenue earned from mineral resources," he stated, adding that liquefied Russian gas continues to be shipped to France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and other EU countries, which can also be seen as financing the Russian war machine.