EU member state leaders have reached an agreement on the ban on the import of Russian oil delivered by ships, and Hungary will be able to alternatively procure oil through Croatia in case of issues with the Druzhba pipeline.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković explained at the EU leaders’ meeting that Janaf can increase its capacity by thirty percent within 20 to 30 days with an investment of only eight million euros. Plenković stated that Janaf transports 11.4 million tons of crude oil annually, and with a 30 percent increase, the capacity would rise to over 15 million tons, allowing Hungary and Slovakia to be supplied normally.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also dismissed speculation at a press conference on Tuesday night that Hungary could be dependent on Russian oil for years, stating that Plenković mentioned that it could be supplied through the Adriatic pipeline. Von der Leyen noted a timeframe for increasing Janaf’s capacity of 45 to 60 days.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday before the summit began that the proposal to exempt oil imports delivered via pipeline from the import ban represents a good approach, but Hungary needs a guarantee that it will have secured oil imports in case of an incident with the Druzhba pipeline. Orban withdrew his veto nearly a month after the Commission proposed to ban the import of Russian oil in the EU by the end of the year.
