Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Europe faces a difficult autumn and winter amid problems with oil and petroleum products. He said the U.S.-Iran conflict and declining refinery capacity in some countries are both weighing on the situation.
Fico spoke at a news conference broadcast by Slovak TV channel TA3 on Wednesday. Referring to a video summit held the previous day, he compared Europe’s position to the famous line from the film Apollo 13: “Houston, we have a problem.”
He said Tuesday’s meeting made clear that autumn and winter would be “very, very difficult.” The gradual reduction in refinery capacity in some countries, he added, was putting upward pressure on oil prices. Fico did not give estimates for potential price increases or how long the effects might last.
The prime minister said countries should not be left to solve problems of a global nature on their own. He said he hoped next week’s European Union summit would find answers to questions about the situation on the European oil market.