Péter Magyar speaks up about protected fuel prices: will the Tisza government keep them?

Prime minister-elect Péter Magyar says Hungary’s protected fuel price system will remain in place for both petrol and diesel after the new Tisza government takes office, following high-level talks with MOL chairman-CEO Zsolt Hernádi and the company’s senior leadership.

In a Facebook statement published on Thursday, Magyar said the two sides had agreed to maintain the current “protected price” mechanism and stressed that the arrangement “will not place any additional burden on the Hungarian budget.” Reuters also reported the meeting as part of urgent post-election talks on fuel security and energy stability.

The announcement offers short-term reassurance to Hungarian motorists after weeks of volatility in global oil markets and concerns over regional supply disruptions.

MOL says supply remains secure despite global turbulence

According to Magyar, MOL confirmed during the meeting that Hungary’s fuel supply remains uninterrupted despite the “turbulent global market environment.”

That assurance is significant because Hungary’s strategic reserves have been under pressure since supply disruptions on the Druzhba pipeline route earlier this year. By the end of March, reserves had fallen sharply before partially recovering, well below the EU’s standard 90-day safety benchmark.

The incoming prime minister also called on Viktor Orbán’s outgoing government to extend the excise tax reduction on fuels until 30 May, as the current decree is due to expire on 30 April.

The request suggests Tisza wants to avoid a politically sensitive price jump during the government handover period.

Dividend row with MCC adds political edge

Beyond pump prices, the talks also touched on a more politically charged issue: MOL’s planned HUF 25 billion dividend payment to Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC).

Magyar said he had presented the Tisza government’s plans on the matter directly to Hernádi, while adding that MOL would proceed “in accordance with the relevant laws.”

The dispute stems from MCC’s 10% MOL stake, which entitles it to a major slice of the company’s recently approved HUF 241 billion dividend payout. The size and timing of the payment — approved just before the election — have already sparked fierce political debate.

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