According to the new regulation, gas stations will only be allowed to sell diesel in fuel tanks or in one can with a maximum volume of 10 liters. A financial limit is also set – one vehicle can fill up with fuel worth a maximum of 400 euros. The measure will come into effect after publication in the Collection of Laws and will last for 30 days.
Unmanned self-service pumps and stations that are unable to comply with the rules must be temporarily closed. At the same time, the government banned the export of diesel fuel from Slovakia for the same period.
In addition, cars registered abroad refuel at a different price than Slovak cars. Gas stations are obliged to distinguish vehicles according to the country of registration, while for foreign drivers the prices will be determined according to the average of diesel prices in the surrounding countries.
The pumps in the north of the country have dried up
Prime Minister Robert Fico stated at a press conference that the cabinet is proceeding according to the previously announced plan and admitted that he expects efforts to circumvent the new regulation.
According to him, not only Slovaks but also drivers from Poland and Austria come to Slovakia to refuel, because the prices of petrol and diesel at Slovak pumps are lower than in neighboring countries.
The head of the Slovnaft refinery, Gabriel Szabó, pointed out that the so-called fuel tourism has already led to stock shortages in the north of the country – according to him, 22 gas stations there “dried up” after Polish truckers refueled in additional tanks.
