Road toll in Hungary skyrockets, it will be one of Europe’s highest from January

When the news broke, the Hungarian Road Transport Association (MKFE) immediately sounded the alarm bells. They believe the government’s drastic price increases this October and next January will put them in a perilous position because fuel prices are also surging drastically.

According to portfolio.hu, the MKFE, the organisation of the Hungarian road transporters, issued a statement this week warning about the negative repercussions of the road toll price rise and the fuel price increase. They believe the two will result in market losses for Hungarian companies while foreign firms will ripe the benefits in the segment. They warned that mostly third-country companies will attempt to conquer the Hungarian market.

Therefore, they aim to have a professional reconciliation with government representatives to supervise the road toll and the excise tax system. That is the only way to keep the industry on a growth path and meet the inflation goals of the government, the association believes. That is why they chose their statement’s title: “the high road toll and fuel prices endanger the inflation goals”.

Is there a government meeting in the pipeline?

From 1 October, road toll will increase by 17.6%, and the system’s modification will mean another wave of price hike from next January. That will be a 41.5% jump in just three years. As a result, the Hungarian road tolls will be one of Europe’s highest, the association underlined.

Meanwhile, the other key element of the sector’s operation, fuel prices, are also climbing dynamically. Between May and August, diesel prices went up by HUF 100 (EUR 0.26), which is a whopping 20% hike. In the neighbouring countries, the prices tend to be lower. On top of that, when the government will increase the excise tax on fuel, petrol stations will likely start charging exorbitant rates. As a result, international transporters and companies operating close to the borders may fill their tanks up abroad. As a result, Hungarian companies will lose significant incomes.

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