Updated 6:56 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Slovakia will sign an intergovernmental agreement on oil sales and transit, the Russian Energy Ministry said Wednesday.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak met with Slovak Economic Minister Pavol Pavlis earlier in the day on the sidelines of an oil and gas forum in Moscow.
“Within the framework of the meeting, the sides have discussed cooperation in the oil sphere, including oil sales and transit, as well as the signing of an agreement on long-term oil deliveries from the Russian Federation to the Republic of Slovakia and its transit via the territory of the Republic of Slovakia. The document is about to be agreed. An intergovernmental agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Slovakia will be signed this November,” the Russian Energy Ministry said in a statement.
According to the US Energy Information Administration data, Slovakia's daily oil consumption stands at some 70,000 barrels, with the oil delivered via the Druzhba pipeline. Slovakia relies heavily on the Russian oil, that is why secure deliveries are very important to the country, especially given the fact that the Druzhba pipeline runs through Ukraine whose relations with Russia are currently experiencing tensions.
The National Oil and Gas Forum is organized by the Russian Energy Ministry and is taking place this year from October 22 to 24. The forum is aimed at forming a comprehensive assessment of internal and external challenges for the Russian oil and gas industry, raising the quality of projection and modelling medium and long-term industry development conditions.
