Andrej Babisz published a recording on the X social networking site in which he again appealed to the largest players on the fuel market in the Czech Republic. The Prime Minister emphasized that it expects Orlen and MOL to change their pricing policy, especially in the context of recent market events.
This is not the first time the Czech Prime Minister has made such appeals. Previously, he repeatedly demanded that companies lower fuel prices. It should be emphasized, however, that for a long time it ended only with appeals, because the authorities in Prague did not decide on administrative price regulations for a long time.
The situation changed only on April 8, when the Czechs announced the introduction of a maximum margin for fuel sellers and a reduction in excise tax on diesel oil. For comparison, the Polish government announced the “Lower Fuel Prices” package on March 26, 2026, and regulated prices at Polish stations have been in force since March 31.
Recording of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and the companies' response
In the recording, Babisz argues that Orlen and MOL increased wholesale prices by two crowns, even though prices on the stock exchange dropped by 15%.. The Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction with this situation, emphasizing that the government recently made available to Orlen Unipetrol 100,000. tons of oil from strategic reserves. According to him, therefore expects companies to be more honest in setting prices.
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In response to these allegations, the companies summoned to the board reacted clearly. Both disagreed with the Prime Minister's words.
Orlen Unipetrol spokesman, Pavel Kaidl, in a comment for the ČTK agency noted that wholesale fuel prices are determined based on the publicly available UIC price index, which takes into account many different factors. Kaidl also explained that oil reserves were released only due to supply problems with Mero, the company responsible for transporting oil in the Czech Republic.
Read also: Orlen changes fuel prices again. New wholesale prices
In turn, the representative of MOL Czech Republic, Mikulasz Duda, pointed out that that there are currently difficulties in the availability of diesel oil in Europe, which translates into an increase in prices. Duda added that the situation is further aggravated by the inability to import fuel from Slovakia.
