A state of oil emergency remains in effect in Slovakia. However, the Slovak refinery Slovnaft is now permitted to export petroleum products abroad—the government lifted the restriction prohibiting exports during its meeting. Other measures, such as the €400 limit on refueling and dual fuel prices, remain in effect.
"The state of oil emergency remains in effect, and in addition, we have removed from this government decree the provision that prohibited refineries from exporting their petroleum products," stated Prime Minister Robert Fico of Smer SD.
The country’s main refinery, Slovnaft, has repaid a crude oil loan from state strategic reserves. CEO Gabriel Szabó explains:
“We were provided with a total of 250,000 tons; of these 250,000 tons, we consumed 105,000 tons. We returned these 105,000 tons on Sunday, returning them ton for ton.”
Slovnaft could resume full operations by mid-April.
Opposition MP Július Jakab (Slovensko) said the government’s justification for restrictions is weakening, arguing the refinery can process oil from alternative sources.
“Slovnaft confirmed today that it has even pumped that oil back into storage tanks and that it is capable of producing gasoline and diesel from this foreign oil. Which, they said, wasn’t possible because we were all waiting for some miraculously cheap Russian oil, which doesn’t exist.”
At the same time, the opposition has repeatedly called on the Prime Minister to take measures, such as those implemented in Poland. MP Marián Viskupič of the opposition SaS party said:
“Reducing the excise tax is one thing; he shouldn’t focus on whether the SaS proposed it, but rather on the fact that every sensible neighbouring country has moved in this direction.”
Another option is temporarily reducing the VAT on fuel. However, the government does not intend this. It argues that, compared to neighbouring countries, fuel prices here are still lower. If the situation in the Middle East worsens and oil prices rise again, the cabinet is prepared to lower train ticket prices to reduce car travel. It will ask local governments to lower the cost of bus and public transit fares. The Union of Slovak Cities responded that cities are not the state’s reserve fund and the government cannot shift additional burdens onto them without compensation.
Source: STVR
