Czech Republic "liberates" itself from Russian oil - Achieves independence from Kremlin supplies for the first time in history
The Czech Republic has become completely independent of Russian oil supplies for the first time in its history, following the completion of capacity upgrades to the TAL pipeline coming from the west.
The first additional supplies along the pipeline have reached the central oil depot in the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said at a press conference.
"After about 60 years, our dependence on Russia for oil is over. For the first time in history, the Czech Republic is fully supplied by non-Russian oil and fully supplied via Western routes," Fiala said.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Czech government has been trying to end its partial dependence on the Druzhba pipeline, which has brought supplies from Moscow for decades and accounted for about half of the country's annual oil imports.
Late last year, Czech pipeline operator MERO completed an upgrade along the Transalpine (TAL), which transports oil from tankers to the Italian port of Trieste to Germany, where it then connects to the IKL plant in the Czech Republic.
The improvement of the TAL has increased the capacity available to the Czech Republic to 8 million tons per year, sufficient to meet the country's annual needs.
The Czech Republic imported 6.5 million tons of oil last year, with 42% of it coming through the Druzhba pipeline, according to statistics from the Ministry of Industry. This is a change from the previous two years, when up to 58% of supplies were Russian.
The country was also supplied with oil from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in 2024, along with some small imports from Norway and Guyana.
The MERO plant has said it will keep the Druzhba filled with crude oil, for possible future flows, which could include other sources, such as the Ukrainian port of Odessa.
US demands progress from Russia and Ukraine - Warns of withdrawal from ceasefire mediation between the parties
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US could almost give up on efforts for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine if there is no progress......
Governor Sejko meets the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Reinout Vos
The Governor of the Bank of Albania, Gent Sejko, received in an official meeting the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Reinout Vos. During the......
Traffic, no more police on the road - Control Center ready, monitoring on 200 km of highway
Around 200 km of national roads will be monitored with cameras, eliminating the need for traffic police units and increasing safety. The National Traffic......
Compensation for accidents with uninsured vehicles - AMF: Around 351 million lek in 2024. Pending damages from the Compensation Fund have been reduced
In the past year, payments from the Compensation Fund for damages to an insured vehicle involved in an accident with an uninsured vehicle amounted to 351......
Where did housing prices and rents increase the most in 2024 in Europe? - Here's where Albania ranks!
The rising cost of living is the main cause of concern for European citizens, according to a 2024 Eurobarometer survey. The finding is perhaps not surprising......
IMF does not predict global recession - But trade tensions will reflect economic decline
Rising trade tensions and fundamental changes to the global trading system will cause downward revisions to the International Monetary Fund's economic......
"We will increase subsidies for every farmer by 6 times" - Berisha: Within the first year we will have a large increase in production
The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, has held meetings with businesses in the Kruja craft market. Speaking about the agricultural sector, he......
272 checks per month for oil - 13 cases with problems, in 2024 consumption increased by over 59 thousand tons
Energy products placed on the market for consumption, such as oil or natural gas, have been the focus of controls regarding their traceability and whether......
