Slovnaft’s Bratislava refinery has secured alternative crude supplies to maintain diesel exports to the Czech market after the expiry of an EU exemption that allowed it to export products derived from Russian oil, MOL Group, the owner of Slovnaft, said to Reuters.
After 5 June, it will not be allowed to export Russian oil-based products, but the company can still use them on the domestic market.
Imports from Slovakia account for about 10 per cent of overall Czech demand for diesel, which totalled 5.4 million metric tons in 2024.
“Slovnaft will continue to supply the Czech market even after the derogation expires, thanks to investments delivered by MOL Group in recent years to make its refining technology more flexible,” wrote MOL Group to the news agency. On the other hand, MOL is also looking for alternative sources continuously. One of the latest developments in this regard is an agreement between MOL and Hungarian MVM to import Azerbaijani crude oil in a volume of 160 thousand tonnes per year.
Slovakia imported 4.83 million tons of oil in 2024, out of which 4.18 million tons were from Russia.
The European Union has extended a temporary exemption allowing Czechia to import petroleum products derived from Russian crude oil delivered via pipelines until 5 June 2025. The Czech government has indicated earlier that it does not plan to seek an extension beyond June 2025