In a stark contrast of how liberals and conservatives handle economic crises in Central Europe, Slovenia has lifted its existing price cap on fuel shortly after the election victory of the left. In Hungary, however, where the conservative Fidesz won its fourth consecutive, two-thirds victory, the fuel price cap remains effective.
As a result, the price of regular gas in Slovenia rose by about 8 percent and that of diesel by more than 20 percent on Sunday.
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The price of regular gas per liter is now around €1.618 and up to €1.628 on motorways, while the price of diesel jumped to around €1.820 and even higher at some smaller gas stations. On Saturday, it was €1.514 euros. In Hungary, where the price cap is still in effect, which mandates that regular petrol and gasoline prices are fixed no higher than 480 Hungarian forints (€1.259) per liter.
Slovenia capped fuel prices in mid-March to mitigate rising energy prices on world markets. Late last week, the government said the measure would not be extended as markets stabilized.
The price cap was discontinued after the newly-formed center-left Freedom Movement (Gibanje Svoboda), founded by Robert Golob, won the election, replacing the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Janez Janša.
Price increases were widely anticipated, and due to the announcement of the lifting of price controls, long lines grew at gas stations across Slovenia on Saturday as people hurried to refuel, leaving many filling stations temporarily without diesel.
