Representatives of Croatia’s state-owned pipeline operator JANAF and Hungary’s MOL Group met to assess the current situation and coordinate the next steps toward concluding a new crude oil transport agreement for the upcoming period.
Initial negotiations between the two companies began in early October, focusing on a renewed contract governing the transport of crude oil through the Croatian pipeline network to MOL’s refineries in Százhalombatta, Hungary, and Bratislava, Slovakia. The discussions come amid public tensions between the two sides concerning JANAF’s operational capacity and performance.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković addressed the matter, rejecting recent statements by Hungarian officials and MOL representatives that questioned JANAF’s ability to meet delivery obligations. He described these claims as inaccurate and stressed that Croatia’s pipeline system is fully capable of transporting the entire volume of crude oil required by both the Hungarian and Slovak refineries.
According to Plenković, JANAF’s annual transport capacity of 15 million tons exceeds the combined maximum processing capacity of MOL’s refineries—8.1 million tons in Százhalombatta and around 6.2 million tons in Bratislava. The company confirmed that it can handle the full supply volumes without any technical or logistical constraints.
Meanwhile, the United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from sanctions related to the use of Russian oil and gas. The waiver followed a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, during which Hungary requested relief from sanctions imposed on Russian energy companies. The U.S. sanctions, targeting firms such as Lukoil and Rosneft, have raised concerns about their impact on countries still importing oil from these entities.
The outcome of the ongoing JANAF–MOL negotiations will be key to maintaining regional oil supply stability, as Central Europe continues to navigate the challenges of energy diversification while remaining partially dependent on Russian-linked infrastructure.
