The Croatian government extended the fuel price cap, decided on June 20, by a further two weeks on Monday. The upper limit at the gas stations along the highway thus remains 13.08 kuna (1.74 euros) for a liter of diesel and 13.50 kuna (1.79 euros) for normal petrol. In addition, wholesale prices for fuel have also been set, Croatian media report.
“We have made a decision that protects citizens’ standards and helps the economy,” Croatian Economy Minister Davor Filipović said on Monday. Without government intervention, diesel would cost more than 16 kuna (2.12 euros), he added. The previous pricing regime, which is subject to change every 14 days, would have expired on Tuesday. The media speculated that without another intervention, the price of gasoline could rise to 16 kuna and the price of diesel to 16.50 kuna.
Government limits wholesale prices
In addition, the government has capped wholesale prices to protect small gas station operators. According to Filipović, large market players, especially the oil company INA, should bear the bulk of the inflationary burden. The INA may not increase the price for small gas station operators in the next two weeks, so that they can function more easily, according to the minister.
The operators of small gas stations are dissatisfied with the extended price cap. According to the media, the government’s decision was unacceptable and intolerable. According to their estimates, about 50 small gas station operators have already lost 16.5 million kuna in the past two weeks due to price regulation. They explained that they would be forced to close the gas stations.
Source: Krone
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