The European Commission (EC) is closely monitoring the ongoing capacity tests on the Croatian JANAF oil pipeline but has refrained from commenting on the dispute between Croatia and Hungary, according to spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen. She stated that the tests are still underway and that the Commission remains in contact with the member states, but will not respond to public accusations from either side.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has repeatedly claimed that Croatia is exploiting the situation, alleging that JANAF cannot provide a continuous supply of crude oil to Hungary. JANAF rejected these claims, asserting that the pipeline can technically deliver larger volumes and that an independent audit confirmed its pricing system meets global standards.
Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar emphasized that Croatia and JANAF can guarantee deliveries of 15 million tons of oil annually to both Hungary and Slovakia. He dismissed Szijjarto’s allegations as false and suggested they serve as a pretext for Hungary’s preference for Russian oil, inviting him to observe the pipeline’s capacity tests firsthand. Susnjar’s position has been backed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and other senior government officials, who warned that Hungary’s stance could undermine EU unity.
The Commission highlighted that the JANAF pipeline is crucial for helping Hungary and Slovakia diversify their energy supplies and reduce dependence on Russian crude, aligning with the objectives of the REPowerEU plan. Launched in 2022, REPowerEU aims to eliminate the EU’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2030, with current proposals targeting a complete phase-out of Russian oil and gas imports by 2027.
Itkonen added that the European Commission is ready to facilitate discussions between member states to ensure stable oil flows through JANAF but will not intervene in bilateral disputes.
