LONDON, February 24. /TASS/. The European Commission (EC) will propose a permanent ban on Russian oil imports on April 15, Reuters reported, citing sources.

The date of submission of the proposal is linked to parliamentary elections in Hungary on April 12, as the EC does not want the issue of oil supplies to become a major factor in the election campaign of the country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, sources said.

The date of submission of the proposal for permanent ban on oil supplies is tentative and subject to change, the agency noted.

According to Hungary’s information, oil has not been flowing via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27. On February 15, Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian crude through the Adriatic pipeline. It is planned to be delivered to the Croatian port of Omisalj by sea. The Hungarian government has also decided to provide 250,000 tons of oil from state strategic reserves to MOL company for its refineries. The reserves there will suffice for three months.