Hungary’s fuel purchase restriction on foreigners – details here
From today, you can buy fuel at the price capped by the government if you have a Hungarian licence plate in Hungary. Otherwise, you have to pay the market price. But why was the government’s decision so quick? And is this rule feasible at all? Here are some details and background information about the latest decision of the Hungarian government.
As we reported yesterday, the prime minister’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, said at the government’s usual press conference that Hungarian fuel prices are the lowest in Europe. As a result, fuel tourism around the border has grown, so it is now threatening uninterrupted supply. Currently, government-capped petrol prices are at HUF 480 (EUR 1.2) per litre, and foreign buyers exploit that, Gulyás added.
To prevent such “abuse”, only cars with Hungarian registration certificates are allowed to buy petrol at 480 forints per litre in Hungary from today. Others have to pay the market price.
Cabinet Office Minister Antal Rogán said during an off-the-record discussion that they needed to act quickly and give short notice to avoid fuel accumulation by foreign car owners. He said that, in practice, totem poles at the stations will show the government-capped price. However, inside the station, only the market price will be displayed. Therefore, nobody should be surprised if they see a very high price while filling their car with fuel, portfolio.hu wrote.
If the buyer’s car has a Hungarian license plate, the filling station attendant will use the capped price to calculate the final sum.
However, they can check the car’s registration certificate. “Without a shadow of a doubt we will have a quarrel about this with the EU,” Rogán added.
- Read also: Petrol tourism is at its peak in Hungary!
An association of independent fuel stations said that the government’s new rules are impracticable. They believe that once a driver has finished refuelling, filling station attendants have no means. Furthermore, the “double pricing” may raise consumer protection concerns, 168 óra reported.
Gábor Egri, the chairman of the organisation, said that, in Hungary, refuelling precedes paying. Thus, filling station attendants can practically do nothing if the car’s fuel tank is already full. “Should we call the police? Or should we suck out the fuel from the tank?” he asked. He added that the government should have consulted with the sector’s representatives before introducing the new measure.
We believe that the cabinet minister’s clarification above might answer the concerns of the fuel station owners. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Please share your experiences with us in a comment or email.
Read alsoBREAKING! — Only Hungarians to buy fuel at capped prices
Source: atv.hu, 168.hu, portfolio.hu, DNH
It’s illegal – contrary to the EU fundamental right of free movement. Good luck defending this rule – and not looking malicious or stupid in the process
President Katalin Novák said on May 20 that “the ties between the Motherland and Hungarians living outside of the country’s borders are inseverable” … Unless you’re driving a car with foreign license plates, in which case you will be discriminated against?
I live and work in Hungary paying taxes here. Unfortunately my car is registered abroad. So from today I have to pay more for petrol. Thank You Hungary.
Same racist bozgor thinking!! Hope all will die
Same racist bozgor thinking!
Unfortunately, as Dutchies living, working and paying our taxes in Hungary, we were given the foreigners price, even after showing our Hungarian licence plates, the register documents ánd our lacsim/ID. Saw it on the bill after paying, while we thougt after showing everything we would get the right price. They said we should call the police if we wanted to complain… and if we had not been in a hurry, I most certainly would have. I do have the impression a lot of tankstations don’t understand the rules (they refuse to deliver at all, or limit the amount, or they are simply being hostile to everyone who is not fluent in Hungarian. Next time we will check before we fill our tank, expensive lesson learned…