Oil deliveries to Slovakia via Druzhba pipeline resume - Slovak ministry

BERLIN. April 23 (Interfax) - Slovakia began receiving oil via the Druzhba pipeline on Thursday morning, European media reported, citing the Slovak Economy Ministry.

The first deliveries were recorded at around 2:00 a.m. local time (3:00 a.m. Moscow time), the ministry said.

Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said yesterday that oil deliveries to Slovakia via the Druzhba oil pipeline were expected to resume on Thursday.

Ukrtransnafta informed Hungary's MOL that Ukraine began receiving oil from Belarus through the Druzhba pipeline at noon on Wednesday. MOL said in a statement it expected the first oil deliveries after the reopening of the pipeline's Ukrainian section to reach Hungary and Slovakia no later than April 23.

Hungary and Slovakia have not received Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27 because of the pipeline's blocking by Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he will not withdraw his veto on the European Union's 90-billion-euro loan for Ukraine until oil supply resumes via the Druzhba pipeline.

Peter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza party, which won Hungarian parliamentary elections, has urged Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to ensure the quickest possible resumption of oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline.