A new regulation on restrictions on diesel sales and dual prices for this fuel came into effect in Slovakia today – 19 March. The relevant decision of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s cabinet from Wednesday, which will be valid for 30 days, was published in the Collection of Laws. In practice, drivers of vehicles with foreign license plates should pay a higher price for diesel in Slovakia than domestic motorists.
The government adopted the above measure in connection with the declared state of oil emergency after the January interruption of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine. According to government politicians, drivers from Poland have begun to refuel en masse with cheaper diesel in Slovakia.
The new rules envisage that gas stations in Slovakia will allow drivers to buy diesel fuel only for the fuel tank of the vehicle and for one canister with a maximum capacity of ten liters. At the same time, diesel fuel can be purchased for a maximum of 400 euros (9,790 CZK) per refuelling, which corresponds to more than 200 liters of this fuel. The restrictions will not apply, for example, to vehicles of the Slovak police, army or rescue services.
The government regulation does not include the price of diesel fuel that drivers of vehicles with foreign license plates are to pay. According to the government resolution, this price is set by the Ministry of Finance as the average of diesel prices in Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland, where this fuel is more expensive than in Slovakia. ČTK is investigating the statement of the Ministry of Finance.
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After the sharp increase in oil prices in response to the start of the war in the Middle East, fuel prices in Slovakia have risen less than in some other European countries. According to data from the European statistical office Eurostat, Slovakia is one of the countries with the cheapest fuels in the EU. As recently as February, gasoline and diesel were more expensive at gas stations in Slovakia than, for example, in the Czech Republic.
The Bratislava refinery Slovnaft, which began pumping raw materials from Slovakia’s state reserves after the interruption of oil supplies via Ukraine, has repeatedly stated that it will approach changes in fuel prices with restraint. Slovnaft, which belongs to the Hungarian oil and gas group MOL, is the largest fuel seller in Slovakia. After the oil import via the Druzhba pipeline was cut, Slovnaft also ordered alternative oil, using tankers and the Adria pipeline to import it. The pipeline starts in Croatia, which refused to transport Russian oil.
In response to the government’s decision to impose restrictions on the sale of diesel, the Slovak opposition criticized the government’s approach to solving the oil crisis. According to Ivan Štefunk, deputy chairman of the strongest opposition movement, Progressive Slovakia, four-time Prime Minister Fico bet everything on oil from Russia, rejected the diversification of energy sources, and Slovakia became sensitive to crises.
Gas stations are not bragging about the oil crisis, the ministry confirmed
Slovakia and Hungary both claim that Ukraine, which has been resisting a Russian military invasion for more than four years, is delaying the resumption of oil shipments extracted in Russia. Kiev claims that the pipeline was damaged by a Russian attack. Ukraine on Tuesday accepted an offer from the European Union to help and finance the restoration of supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to the two countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the repair of the pipeline was nearing completion. The pipeline would start operating in a month to a month and a half, he said.
In a joint letter to European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, Bratislava and Budapest criticized the lack of representation of their countries in the EC mission to verify the condition of the Druzhba pipeline.
Milan Olsansky – ITOY/IVOTY Czechia