April 8 (Reuters) - Slovakia will end a temporary ban on exports of diesel fuel from Friday but keep in place other fuel measures due to the conflict in the Middle East, Prime Minister Robert Fico
Slovakia Ends Diesel Export Ban While Maintaining Other Fuel Restrictions
Slovakia's Response to Fuel Supply Challenges Amid Middle East Conflict
End of Diesel Export Ban
April 8 (Reuters) - Slovakia will end a temporary ban on exports of diesel fuel from Friday but keep in place other fuel measures due to the conflict in the Middle East, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Wednesday.
Measures to Address Oil Price Surge
Slovakia has taken measures to cope with surging global oil prices since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran started at the end of February. The United States and Iran agreed a ceasefire late on Tuesday.
Government Actions and Fuel Tourism
On March 19, Slovakia's government approved - alongside the ban on diesel exports - a resolution allowing service stations to limit diesel sales, and also set higher prices for cars with foreign plates as it sought to clamp down on "fuel tourism".
Those temporary measures will stay in place.
Impact of Iran Crisis and Russian Oil Supply Disruption
The Iran crisis has coincided with a break in Russian oil supplies coming to Slovakia via Ukraine.
Slovnaft's Emergency Oil Loan
The country's sole refiner Slovnaft, owned by Hungarian oil and gas group MOL, got a loan of up to 250,000 tonnes of crude from state reserves in February when the state declared an oil emergency situation.
Return of Loaned Oil
Fico said on Wednesday Slovnaft had already fully returned that loaned oil.
Alternative Oil Supply Arrangements
The loan bridged Slovnaft's need to find alternative supplies after the halt in Druzhba flows in Ukraine caused by what Kyiv said was a Russian strike that damaged the line.
Slovakia and Hungary have accused Ukraine of holding up flows for political reasons, which Kyiv denies.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
