BRATISLAVA -- The European Union have approved a six-month extension of Slovakia's exemption on exporting oil products derived from Russian oil to the Czech Republic, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar announced on Monday.

The extension was unanimously approved at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.

Slovakia remains heavily reliant on Russian oil supplies due to a lack of viable alternatives. Blanar said in a ministry statement that the exemption is crucial for the Bratislava refinery, Slovnaft, which supplies oil products to the Czech Republic and provides diesel for purchase in Ukraine.

According to Eurostat, crude oil imports from Russia in Slovakia averaged 448.68 thousand tonnes per month during the period from 2008 until 2024, reaching an all-time high of 589.97 thousand tonnes in August 2023 and a record low of 68.55 thousand tonnes in June 2024.

The previous exemption, approved in December 2023, was valid through Dec 5, 2024.