Slovakia will use all legal means against Ukraine in case of stopped oil transit

photo -illustrative: commons.wikimedia.org

BRATISLAVA, 22 July. Slovak authorities will use all possibilities of EU law to protect national interests in connection with the suspension of Russian oil transit by Kiev, Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said. The minister confirmed his Hungarian counterpart's statement that Budapest and Bratislava have asked Kiev for consultations mediated by the European Commission over the suspended transit of Russian oil.

Ukraine has stopped the transit of Russian Lukoil's oil to Hungary and Slovakia through its territory due to the company's blacklisting by Kiev. Oil is supplied to these countries via the Druzhba pipeline, which passes through Ukraine.

"We do not agree with Slovakia becoming a political tool against Hungary or any other state. We will defend ourselves resolutely and will use all the possibilities of European law. At the same time, we will defend the interests of our sovereign nation state," the minister wrote on his Facebook page (banned in Russia because of its ownership of Meta, which has been branded extremist).

The Slovak foreign minister confirmed his Hungarian counterpart's statement that Budapest and Bratislava have asked Kiev for consultations with the mediation of the European Commission with regard to the suspended transit of Russian oil.

"We consider the measures introduced by Ukraine in connection with the termination of the transit of Lukoil oil from Russia to Slovakia and Hungary to be a clear violation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Together with the Hungarian Foreign Minister, we have today appealed to the European Commission to take action on this matter." Blanár added.

TASS/gnews.cz-jav_07

https://tass.com/economy/1819891