The European Commission has clarified that sanction implementation falls entirely to member states, placing responsibility on Croatia to decide whether Russian crude can transit through the JANAF pipeline.
Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen emphasized that national authorities determine how sanction rules are applied, declining to comment on the ongoing corporate dispute.
The situation escalated after MOL Group requested written assurance from JANAF that non-sanctioned Russian crude delivered by sea to the Adriatic port of Omisalj could transit toward Hungary and Slovakia. MOL warned that failure to confirm transport permissions by 27 February could trigger EU-level legal action and potential claims for damages. The company argued that EU and US sanctions allow landlocked states to import Russian crude by sea when pipeline deliveries are disrupted, following damage to the Druzhba pipeline from a Russian drone attack on 27 January.
The 2022 exemption, part of the EU’s sixth sanctions package, allowed Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic to continue receiving Russian crude due to lack of maritime access. Although temporary, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained high dependence on Russian oil, diverging from the EU strategy to reduce reliance.
Minister Ante Šušnjar stressed during a Washington visit that Croatia refuses political pressure, affirming its role as a reliable EU partner while upholding its interpretation of sanction policies. He noted that, despite JANAF’s lower transport costs compared to Druzhba, the main issue is Russia’s discounted crude, which continues to distort regional markets.
Minister Šušnjar also called on Hungary and Slovakia to end their dependence on Russian fossil fuels, framing it as an act of solidarity with Ukraine and a contribution to efforts to halt Russian aggression.
