BRATISLAVA, April 1. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico believes that the restart of the Druzhba pipeline would stabilize the energy situation not only in Slovakia and Hungary but across Central Europe.

"The opening of the Druzhba pipeline would significantly stabilize the [oil] situation not only in Slovakia and Hungary, but throughout Central Europe," Fico said. His speech was posted page of his Direction-Social Democracy party on Facebook (banned in Russia).

Fico also noted that the EU finds itself in an oil crisis not only due to the Middle East conflict but also due to its failure to convince Vladimir Zelensky to restore the Druzhba oil pipeline.

"Country after country within the European Union <...> is searching for a solution to the enormous crisis we find ourselves in not only due to the war in the Middle East, but also due to the EU's inability to convince [Zelensky] to restore the Druzhba pipeline," the Prime Minister said.

"Europe has no influence, no control over the crisis that has arisen," Fico said, noting that European countries are discussing the possibility of introducing tough oil-saving measures, including refueling limits.

Fico called on the European Commission to "stop playing these senseless, harmful ideological games and force Mr. Zelensky not to harm Europe."

Fico also commented positively on the measures taken in Slovakia to stabilize motor fuel prices, including the imposition of higher diesel prices for foreign-registered vehicles for 30 days.

On January 27, Ukraine halted oil transit to Slovakia and Hungary. On February 18, the Slovak government declared an oil crisis in the republic. The Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava borrowed 250,000 tons of oil from the state reserves.

"Of this amount, 105,000 tons were used. Slovnaft is gradually returning oil to state reserves," Fico said, adding that the refinery is operating at full capacity.

Possibility of lifting oil crisis situation

"As soon as the moment arrives when our state reserves are filled again and we meet the EU requirement to hold 90 days' worth of reserves, we in the government are ready to cancel the oil crisis situation [in the republic]. We had to declare it so we could loan Slovnaft oil [from state reserves]," the Prime Minister said.

On March 28, the head of the Slovak government threatened to block new sanctions against Russia if oil supplies to the republic via the Druzhba pipeline were not resumed.