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Slovak companies may seek compensation for substandard Russian oil

Slovnaft, which owns a same-name refinery in Bratislava dependent on Russian crude, has formed a team of experts to estimate the likely damage bad oil may have caused

BRATISLAVA, June 13. /TASS/. Two Slovak companies - Transpetrol and Slovnaft - may demand compensations from Russia for the damage from substandard crude oil they received via the Druzhba pipeline last April and May, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini told TASS after a visit to Russia.

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"Transpetrol’s damage may become known by the end of this year," he said. "For now specialists forecast no negative consequences [caused by substandard crude oil] for this Slovak oil transportation operator. If any damage is identified and calculated, Transpetrol will raise the question of a compensation from Russia."

Transpetrol is interested in identifying the origin of contaminated oil from Russia. It insists on taking "effective measures to eliminate or minimize the risks" of such situations in the future.

Slovnaft, which owns a same-name refinery in Bratislava dependent on Russian crude, has formed a team of experts to estimate the likely damage bad oil may have caused.

"Only when the results of tests [by this group] are available, a decision will be made if Slovnaft should ask Russia for a compensation," Pellegrini said.

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