Hungarian oil giant Mol asked for Brussels’ help against Croatian oil company
A new chapter has opened in the energy dispute between Hungary and Croatia, as Mol and its Slovak subsidiary, Slovnaft, have filed an official complaint with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition.
Why is Mol asking Brussels’ help?
The companies claim that the Croatian pipeline operator, Janaf, is attempting to impose conditions that could endanger the security of supply in the region. The Adriatic pipeline, operated by Janaf, would play a crucial role should the European Union proceed with its plan to phase out Russian crude.
According to Mol, Janaf recently informed the two companies that they would only receive the crude oil they had already purchased and scheduled for transport if they agreed to buy additional volumes, labelled as “technical stock” within the operator’s system, writes 24.hu.
The Hungarian company says they are caught by surprise
Mol says this requirement came as a complete surprise: it was never part of the contractual terms and had not emerged in previous cooperation with the Croatian operator.
The Hungarian company also claims that Janaf recently failed to deliver the ordered volumes on time, and then indicated that future deliveries would only be guaranteed under similarly restrictive conditions.
Mol and Slovnaft argue that this practice raises serious concerns, as Janaf appears to be using its dominant infrastructural position to unilaterally alter the rules governing access to non-Russian crude.
What are the concerns?
In Mol’s assessment, the latest developments only deepen the uncertainty surrounding the Adriatic pipeline, whose capacity and pricing have already been the subject of ongoing debate since the introduction of Western sanctions on Russian oil.
The Hungarian government maintains that the country cannot be fully supplied without Russian sources, a position that secured temporary exemptions for both Hungary and Slovakia, allowing them to continue purchasing Russian crude.
However, Mol warns that the current situation calls into question the long-term reliability of the southern section of the Adriatic pipeline — a critical component in any realistic plan to reduce dependence on Russian oil across the EU.
Mol and Slovnaft have asked the European Commission to closely monitor the situation and investigate Janaf’s conduct. At the same time, the companies believe that their business relationship with the Croatian operator can still be restored to one based on professionalism, transparency and fair market conditions.