Hungary expects to receive Russian oil via the Adriatic pipeline through Croatia until supplies via the Druzhba pipeline, which Ukraine has blocked, are restored.
“Until the Druzhba pipeline becomes operational, oil will be delivered via the Adriatic pipeline,” Gergely Gulyás, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's office, told a press briefing, specifying that the oil is planned to be delivered by sea to the Croatian port of Omišalj on the island of Krk, and from there via a pipeline northeast to Hungary and Slovakia.
MOL has already ordered the first batch of oil to be will be transported along this route, with deliveries scheduled for March to its refineries in Szasalombata, Hungary, and Bratislava, Slovakia. Gulyas noted that this does not contradict EU regulations, which have granted an exemption to both countries, exempting them from sanctions bans on purchasing Russian energy products.
The head of the office recalled that there had previously been disputes over the capacity of the Adriatic pipeline, as well as the high transit tariffs set by Croatia. “But this issue can be resolved“, added Gulyas, who holds the rank of minister in the Hungarian government.
Hungary has always viewed the Adriatic pipeline as a supporting pipeline. As Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó reported, “in 2025, the country imported approximately 4.9 million tons of oil through the “Družba“ pipeline, while The Adriatic Pipeline has brought in 400,000 tonnes“.
According to the International Energy Agency, the capacity of the Adriatic Pipeline in Hungary is 10 million tonnes per year, while in Slovakia it is approximately 3.7 million tonnes. At the same time, Hungary has repeatedly expressed doubts about the pipeline's ability to operate reliably at high loads and has suggested that the Croatian government take steps to modernize it.
MOL CEO Zsolt Hernády called the Adriatic Pipeline a “dark horse“. “We have never received more than 2 million tonnes per year through it. Our Croatian partners have always said that they can deliver 10, 12, 14 or even 15 million tonnes, but this has not been proven“, he said in an interview with the online publication Telex. Hernády also warned that if If the Druzhba pipeline is completely closed, restoring supplies will be difficult.
According to Hungarian data, oil has not been flowing through the Druzhba pipeline since January 27. Initially, this was due to damage to an infrastructure facility on Ukrainian territory during military operations. Later, it was restored, but supplies have not been resumed, although there are no longer any technical obstacles.
Budapest believes that Kiev is trying to provoke an energy crisis in Hungary before the parliamentary elections in order to create difficulties for the Hungarian government and support the political opposition. Meanwhile, the European Commission is silent about Ukraine's actions, which are clearly aimed at the interests of two EU countries.
As Gulyas explained, the Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly promised MOL management that supplies would resume within a day or two, but this has not happened. happened.
In any case, the government is confident that it will ensure a stable supply of oil for refineries and gasoline for gas stations. For this purpose, state strategic reserves will be used for a limited time. Hungary has oil reserves sufficient for more than three months.
On February 15, Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian crude oil through the Adriatic pipeline. Budapest believes that this can be done in full compliance with EU regulations. The European Commission said that its Petroleum Coordination Group intends to discuss the issue at its next meeting.