EU Country Has Started Rationing Fuel

Rising global tensions are now affecting fuel availability in Europe, with Slovenia taking unprecedented measures. The country has become the first European Union member to implement formal gasoline and diesel rationing. The decision comes amid supply concerns and price fluctuations linked to US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory actions in the Gulf, a crucial region for global energy transport, according to the BBC.

Under the new limits, individual drivers in Slovenia can purchase no more than 50 liters of fuel per day, while businesses and farmers are allowed up to 200 liters. Gas stations are responsible for enforcing the caps, turning away anyone attempting to exceed them.

The rationing is influenced not only by domestic demand but also by cross-border price differences. Fuel in Slovenia is currently regulated at $1.71 per liter for gasoline and $1.78 for diesel, substantially cheaper than in neighboring Austria, where prices are approaching $2.10 and $2.30 per liter. This discrepancy has encouraged “fuel tourism,” with Austrian motorists crossing into Slovenia and sometimes emptying local station reserves. Prior to government intervention, Hungarian energy company MOL, a key operator in the region, had already limited purchases to 30 liters per vehicle.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob emphasized that the measure is preventive rather than a reaction to shortages. “There is sufficient fuel in Slovenia, storage facilities are full, and shortages will not occur,” he stated. He also called on retailers to impose stricter limits on foreign drivers. Despite these assurances, some stations near the Austrian border temporarily ran out of fuel, leaving truck drivers frustrated and comparing the scene to wartime conditions. To stabilize the situation, Golob announced that the military will assist in transporting fuel to retailers, Reuters reports.

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