Oil companies MOL and Slovnaft have written to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition to raise serious concerns over the conduct of Croatia’s state-owned pipeline operator JANAF, warning that its actions are undermining the security of non-Russian oil supplies. In their letter, the companies state that JANAF recently informed them it would accept already-purchased and scheduled crude oil shipments only if MOL and Slovnaft also agree to buy additional volumes and inject them into the JANAF system as so-called displacement oil. According to MOL, this requirement came unexpectedly, had never been mentioned before, and is not contained in their contractual terms.
MOL further noted that JANAF’s new demand appears to conflict with the existing agreements governing pipeline access and crude oil transport. The company also claims that JANAF recently failed to deliver a contracted batch of crude oil on time and indicated that similar conditions may be applied to future deliveries. MOL and Slovnaft argue that these actions have direct and significant consequences, asserting that JANAF is using its position as an essential infrastructure operator to unilaterally alter the rules for accessing the transport of non-Russian crude.
The companies warn that such behavior puts at risk their ability to secure the required volumes of non-Russian oil needed to meet regulatory obligations and maintain stable production at Slovnaft’s refinery in Slovakia, which plays a vital role in supplying fuel to several EU member states. They emphasize that, on top of longstanding concerns about the capacity and pricing of the Adriatic pipeline, this latest development introduces new uncertainty over the reliability of the southern supply route at a time when the EU is intensifying efforts to move away from Russian oil.
MOL and Slovnaft have called on the European Commission to closely monitor the situation and help ensure that JANAF’s operations remain compliant with EU competition rules. They expressed hope that cooperation with the Croatian operator can return to a professional, transparent, and fair basis that supports the region’s energy security.