Conflict over prices at Hungarian stations. The EU demands changes, but Orban resists

The head of the Hungarian government, Viktor Orban, announced on Thursday in a recording posted online that he had received a letter in which the European Commission demands the abolition of preferential fuel prices offered only to Hungarians in the country. He announced that the system would remain in force regardless.

– We received another threatening letter from the European Commission. Now they demand that we not sell fuel to Hungarians at lower prices than to foreigners. However, in Brussels they must understand that we are facing an energy blockade from Ukraine, and the global energy crisis is knocking on our door, Orban said.

– We, Hungarians, cannot accept that in this situation the EC is attacking us again instead of offering help. We will not allow Hungarian families to pay for Ukrainian blackmail. That is why I am informing the President of the European Commission (Ursula von der Leyen) today that Hungary will maintain the preferential price system. Reduced prices will continue to be available only to Hungarian families, companies and farmers, announced the Hungarian Prime Minister.

From March 10, Hungary has a fuel price cap, set by the government at 595 forints per liter of gasoline and 615 forints per liter of diesel oil (PLN 6.5 and PLN 6.7, respectively). The limit only applies to vehicles with Hungarian license plates and registered in Hungary.

The authorities announced that this solution was introduced in response to the war in the Middle East and the suspension of crude oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia through Ukraine at the end of January. The oil pipeline was the target of a Russian attack and – according to the Ukrainian authorities – it is being renovated. The government in Budapest maintains that the suspension of transit is a deliberate action by Kiev.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated on Thursday that representatives of the opposition TISHA party are lobbying in Brussels against the fuel price reduction system introduced by the government.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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