BUDAPEST, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian oil and gas group MOL and its Slovak subsidiary Slovnaft have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission (EC) against Croatian pipeline operator JANAF for alleged abuse of its monopoly position, MOL said Wednesday.

The complaint, submitted to the EC's Directorate-General for Competition, accuses JANAF of obstructing crude oil transport to Central Europe and charging "unfair" fees.

According to MOL's statement, Hungarian and Slovak refineries have become increasingly dependent on the JANAF-operated Adria pipeline following the interruption of deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline on Jan. 27.

MOL said that JANAF has been "delaying confirmation" for the transport of Russian-origin crude oil delivered by sea, despite such shipments being permitted under European Union (EU) sanctions when the Druzhba pipeline is inoperative. Therefore, JANAF has effectively refused access to the pipeline.

Furthermore, MOL accused the Croatian operator of price gouging, alleging that transportation fees have been set significantly above market levels.

"The Croatian company has been charging three to four times the fair market price for transportation since 2022," MOL said, adding that a separate complaint regarding JANAF's "abusive pricing and negotiation practices" has also been filed.

Warning that continued delays could threaten regional energy security, MOL called on the EC to launch an accelerated procedure to ensure access to the Adria pipeline.

The company added that JANAF could face legal and financial liability for damages resulting from the current situation. ■