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Hungarian experts travel to Ukraine to inspect Druzhba oil pipeline

The experts also plan to meet with EU representatives to discuss ending Ukraine’s blockade of oil supplies from Russia

BUDAPEST, March 11. /TASS/. A Hungarian commission to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline is on its way to Ukraine to talk with the country's authorities regarding the resumption of Russian oil transit, head of the commission, Hungarian Deputy Energy Minister Gabor Czepek, announced.

"Today, our delegation is leaving for Kiev for a substantive dialogue on the Druzhba oil pipeline," he said at a press conference in the border town of Zahony, broadcast on Hungarian television.

According to him, the team of four experts expects to arrive in the Ukrainian capital within the day.

Czepek noted that Hungarian experts also plan to meet with EU representatives to discuss ending Ukraine’s blockade of oil supplies from Russia.

Czepek recalled that he had previously sent a letter to one of Ukraine's deputy prime ministers requesting either the restoration of the pipeline's operation or the opportunity for Hungarian experts to inspect it to determine the extent of damage.

The Hungarian government has repeatedly stated that, according to its information, the Druzhba pipeline is operational and Ukraine is blocking it solely for political reasons. Budapest believes that by doing so Kiev is attempting to pressure it to drop its objections to Ukraine's accession to the EU and the provision of financial and military aid.

Russian oil has not been flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungarian refineries since January 27. Hungary and Slovakia asked Croatia to allow the transit of Russian crude via the Adriatic Pipeline. Budapest took retaliatory measures against Kiev, blocking its €90 billion "military loan" from the European Union.

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