A Slovak delegation met last week during a visit to Russia with representatives of Russian oil company Yukos. They discussed the possibility and potential efficiency of joining a crude oil pipeline from Bratislava to Schwechat, Austria. „The Russian partner Yukos is interested in making this connection; this could significantly increase crude oil transit via Slovakia,“ Slovak Economy Minister Robert Nemcsics said at a press conference in Bratislava on Monday.

Yukos representatives assured the minister that they would meet their commitments stemming from transaction contracts in the sale of 49 percent of the crude oil pipeline operator Transpetrol to Yukos and that they do not plan to reduce the volume of crude oil transported via Slovakia. „Yukos is seeking opportunities to increase the volume of transported crude oil, however, this depends on further developments on world crude oil markers. The Russian company is also analyzing a possibility of transporting crude oil into Germany through the Czech Republic, which is also part of its strategic plans,“ said the minister. Yukos representatives also expressed interest in the remaining Transpetrol stake, which is still in the Slovak government’s hands.