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Ukraine blocks Hungarian experts from inspecting Druzhba oil pipeline — Orban's office

Head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's office Gergely Gulyas confirmed that Budapest would seek to lift the oil blockade and would not approve any decision by Brussels supporting Kiev until that happens

BUDAPEST, March 5. /TASS/. Ukraine has denied entry to a Hungarian government commission established to assess the technical condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, Gergely Gulyas, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's office, announced.

He confirmed that Budapest will seek to lift the oil blockade and, until that happens, will not approve any decision by Brussels supporting Kiev.

"Experts from this commission are ready to travel to Ukraine within a few hours at any time to verify that Ukrainian statements [about the pipeline's inoperability] are untrue. This is likely why Ukraine is currently not allowing them to enter," Gulyas told reporters.

He recalled that the commission was formed by the order of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and was headed by State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gabor Czepek. It also included employees of the oil and gas company MOL, which uses Russian crude oil at its refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. Announcing the creation of the commission on March 4, Orban stressed that he was demanding that Vladimir Zelensky let Hungarian inspectors into Ukraine to inspect the Druzhba pipeline.

"We also called on the European Commission to ensure Ukraine fulfills its obligations, according to which it has no right to block EU member states' access to energy resources," said Gulyas.

According to him, Hungary is convinced that the pipeline is operational and that Zelensky is not allowing the resumption of Russian oil transit purely for political reasons.

"Until Ukraine opens the Druzhba pipeline, the Hungarian government will block any decisions from Brussels in Ukraine's favor," the head of the Prime Minister's Office reiterated.

Russian oil has not been flowing to Hungary since January 27. Hungary and Slovakia have asked Croatia to allow Russian crude to be delivered via the Adriatic Pipeline. It is expected to be delivered to the Croatian port of Omisalj by sea. The Hungarian government has also decided to provide MOL with 250,000 tons of oil from its strategic reserves for its refinery. These reserves are sufficient for three months.

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