Rain of controls on fuel operators. Out of 513 service stations checked as part of the plan implemented by the French government, 5% of the establishments were fined for anomalies in the display of prices. Penalties ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 euros. And in the event of a repeat offence, the amount doubles and, if ‘bad faith’ is added, the bill can reach €300,000.
There is also alarm in France over fuel costs, with diesel rising by up to EUR 2 per litre due to refining costs, as French Economy Minister Roland Lescure explained on the sidelines of the energy ministers’ meeting in Paris. And then the recommendation to change petrol stations if the reported price is 2 euros.
Hungary, no to export
Ban on the export of oil, petrol and diesel. The Hungarian government’s decision comes two days after Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s announcement to place a cap on fuel prices “for all Hungarian households and businesses”, freezing the price of petrol and diesel at 595 and 615 forints respectively.
This is something to which Gabor Egri, president of the association of small petrol stations, which are independent of the big companies, reacts. According to the category, the reserves will last for a few months at most, the manoeuvre being very similar to the one implemented in 2021 and which emptied the service stations. “After that we will all close down,” is his prediction. The Mol oil company ensures supply in the country for everyone, but the knot remains over the lack of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which is kept closed in Ukraine, for which a Hungarian delegation is on its way.
In Greece fuel and supermarket product price cap for three months
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ solution is to impose a cap on profit, fuel and supermarket products for a period of three months. “We are on the alert for further repercussions of the crisis,” the premier’s words during a meeting with the president of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, whose prayer is to curb speculation.