Petrol d.d., Ljubljana rejects any insinuations that share purchases by members of its management or supervisory bodies were in any way linked to the possession of inside information or to any form of privileged access to non-public information.

At Petrol, we have strict internal procedures and compliance standards in place that are aligned with market abuse prevention rules and are based on applicable legislation and best corporate governance practices. Members of the Management Board, Supervisory Board, and other persons with access to inside and other sensitive information are subject to clear rules governing trading in the company’s shares, including defined conditions and windows during which trading is either permitted or prohibited.

The share purchases that have been publicly disclosed were carried out during a period when trading is permitted under Petrol’s internal rules, which are based on applicable European and Slovenian legislation. This period coincided with the end of the annual report publication process and the public disclosure of the company’s results when all key operational information had already been made available to the market in accordance with the company’s financial calendar.

We particularly emphasise that Petrol was not involved in the drafting of the decree governing changes to price or margin regulation, nor was it informed of the content or timing of the adoption of such measures. Decisions regarding the regulatory framework fall within the competence of the state and relevant authorities.

At the same time, we highlight that Petrol has publicly advocated the need for comprehensive and systemic changes to the regulatory environment in the energy segment for many years. Our endeavours have not focused on individual short-term measures, but rather on establishing a stable, predictable, and competitive environment that would bring Slovenia closer to regulatory frameworks in comparable European countries.

The regulatory framework in the energy segment significantly impacts operations of all market participants. Therefore, we have consistently supported the need for a long-term and balanced framework that takes into account the interests of consumers, market competitiveness, and the sustainability of energy supply.

We regret that certain media coverage has created an impression of irregularities solely based on the coincidental timing of events, without presenting the entire regulatory and business context. Such reporting may unjustifiably raise doubts regarding the actions of individuals and the company, despite the absence of any facts underlying such conclusions. In matters concerning business integrity and investor confidence, it is especially important that the public is provided with all relevant circumstances and that a clear distinction is made between legitimate journalistic inquiry and unfounded insinuations.

In conducting its business operations, Petrol fully complies with applicable legislation, capital market rules, and the highest corporate governance standards. Any other interpretation lacking concrete underlying facts is considered unfounded.