BRATISLAVA — Opposition MP Karol Galek of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) slammed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s push for Croatia to pipe Russian oil to MOL refineries via the Adria line. EU sanctions explicitly ban sea imports of Russian crude, Galek said Wednesday, ruling out the route for Slovakia’s Slovnaft refinery too.

The comments followed Croatia’s suspension of Druzhba pipeline deliveries to Slovakia. Damage to the Russian-owned line has left the Bratislava facility short on feedstock. Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar offered help Tuesday, pledging tankers of non-Russian oil for the Adria pipeline that links Zagreb to both MOL’s Hungarian plant and Slovnaft.

“We’re ready to lend a helping hand to Hungary and Slovakia, but everything must line up with European Commission rules,” Susnjar said, according to Galek. The Adria pipeline can handle 14.3 million tonnes a year. Slovnaft requires at least 7 million tonnes to maintain core operations.

Galek urged Slovakia’s government to seize the offer. Contract tankers now with oil from global markets, he said, rather than hunt loopholes for ed Russian crude. SaS accuses Prime Minister Robert Fico’s administration of joining Hungary in a bid to ship Russian oil across the Adriatic, defying EU restrictions.

Such a scheme would draw opposition across the bloc, Galek added. Fico’s cabinet, meanwhile, took action Wednesday. Ministers approved tapping up to 250,000 tonnes from state oil reserves to tide Slovnaft over.

After the meeting, Fico laid out the economics. Adria could work, he acknowledged. But the line’s full capacity remains unproven for this volume. Shipping costs run five times higher per tonne per 100 kilometers than Druzhba. Global benchmark alternatives like Brent cost more than Russia’s deep-ed Urals grade.

Slovnaft, majority-owned by Hungary’s MOL, relies heavily on Russian supplies via Druzhba. The pipeline’s southern arm feeds both refineries from Croatia. Repairs to the damaged section could take weeks, officials estimate. Slovakia holds about three months of reserves overall, but Slovnaft’s stocks dwindle faster.

Susnjar’s proposal surfaced amid Orbán’s vocal complaints. Hungary invoked an EU exemption last year to keep Druzhba flows alive after sea embargoes hit. Slovakia dropped out of that deal, switching to multiple suppliers. Now both nations face shortages.

Fico stressed diversification efforts. His government eyes Kazakh and Azerbaijani grades as bridges to full independence. Still, short-term pain looms. Higher costs could force Slovnaft to curtail output, hitting fuel supplies across central Europe.

SaS positioned the episode as a test of EU solidarity. Accept Zagreb’s non-Russian lifeline, Galek said. Dodging sanctions invites penalties and isolation.