March 9 (SeeNews) - Slovenia has sufficient reserves of oil products to cope with a potential suspension of EU imports of Russian oil, economic development minister Zdravko Pocivalsek said.
"We have enough fuel to be able to satisfy local demand if traders cannot get petroleum products from Russia," Pocivalsek said on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Slovenian government.
The government will introduce regulations if it resorts to fuel reserves, Pocivalsek added.
In the next two to three days it will become clear whether the EU will follow the U.S. and UK in halting imports of Russian natural gas and crude oil, Slovenian media quoted prime minister Janez Jansa as saying on Tuesday.
"We will be neither hungry nor without electricity. The crowds at gas stations are unnecessary because fuel will not run out," Jansa said in a statement.
Slovenian drivers crowded at filling stations late on Monday amid reports of upcoming price hikes. The price of a litre of diesel hit record-high 1.65 euro ($1.79) on Tuesday, while petrol grew to 1.55 euro per litre.
The average prices of diesel and petrol in Slovenia as at 0930 CET on March 9, stand at 1.66 euro and 1.56 euro, respectively, according to data by information portal Fuelo.
($ = 0.91061 euro)