oil industry

Buy cheap fuel in Hungary – but only if you’re a local

Reuters

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Buy cheap fuel in Hungary – but only if you’re a local

REFUELING. A driver fills a car at an Envi gasoline station in Budakalasz, Hungary, June 13, 2022.

Bernadett Szabo/Reuters

Only motorists with Hungarian-registered vehicles can buy fuel at reduced prices in the country

ESZTERGOM, Hungary – Drivers from outside Hungary must pay around 60% to 70% more for fuel in the country than locals, following a move by the government to limit reduced prices to Hungarian-registered vehicles.

The policy, introduced last month, has triggered a spat with the European Union, but is popular with Hungarians who are struggling with surging inflation.

Retail fuel prices have soared to record highs in many countries, prompting governments around the world to boost subsidies or trim taxes to shield consumers from the financial strain.

Hungary capped fuel prices in mid-November and added caps to some food staples in February. The cheaper fuel saw a wave of Slovak citizens cross the border to the Hungarian city of Esztergom to fill their tanks, but the new measure by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has ended such fuel tourism.

These days local gasoline stations in Esztergom serve mostly Hungarian motorists.

Last week, EU industry chief Thierry Breton told Hungary to suspend discriminatory fuel pricing against vehicles with foreign license plates or risk being taken to court.

“This is an extraordinary situation and we need to do what such situations require,” Orban said in response.

Hungarian motorbiker Miklos Dibaczi, speaking at a gasoline station in Esztergom, said: “I think it is the right of every country to decide what fuel price they set. When there is a central ruling in the EU that salaries and pensions should be the same in all countries then we can say that everything should cost the same.”

Orban said that without the cap on retail fuel prices at 480 forints ($1.26) per liter, market prices for fuel would be around 700 to 900 forints.

On Friday, June 10, he said the price caps on fuel, some basic foods, and energy bills could stay in place for a longer period if the war in Ukraine is entrenched. The caps, which have lopped 5 to 6 percentage points off headline inflation, are due to expire next month.

Some foreign motorists were upset by the price difference they had to pay.

“It’s not good for relations between countries, for France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary. It’s not a good [way of] thinking,” said French tourist Mael Dos Santos. – Rappler.com

$1 = 381.5100 forints

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!