MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. The decisions of the European Union to impose restrictions against Russian state-owned companies will only aggravate the situation on the European fuel market, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Wednesday.
"The situation in the European markets is quite complicated because there are very low stocks of diesel. And the decisions that the European Union has taken regarding our state-owned companies for the supply of petroleum products will only greatly aggravate the situation there," he said.
Novak cited Germany as an example, where since the beginning of the year fuel prices have already increased by 40%, to 2.2-2.4 euros per liter.
"And this is not the limit. In my opinion, there is a real shortage of oil products. This is the result of irresponsible policies and decisions that do not take into account the real situation on the markets, do not take into account the balancing of the markets," the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
Earlier, the European Union banned business relations with the Russian companies, in which the state participation exceeds 50%. In particular, these companies include Rosneft and Gazprom Neft. According to the Official Journal of the EU, in which the relevant regulations are published, the ban does not apply to operations that are strictly necessary for the purchase, import or transport of fossil fuels - in particular coal, oil and natural gas, as well as titanium, aluminum, copper, nickel, palladium and iron ore from or through Russia to the European Union. The document also explains that the ban does not apply to the execution of contracts concluded before March 16, 2022.