Fuelwatch! 😂

EU nation planning ‘fuel tourism’ crackdown

Slovakia is mulling the move after drivers from border regions left “gas stations literally dried up,” Prime Minister Robert Fico has said

Published 18 Mar, 2026 13:21 | Updated 18 Mar, 2026 14:25

> Slovakia could hike diesel prices for foreign drivers or limit the amount of fuel they can buy to curb fuel tourism, according to local media reports.

> Prime Minister Robert Fico announced the plan on Tuesday amid a global oil market squeeze driven by the war in the Middle East and a halt to Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline.

> Fico and Economy Minister Denisa Sakova described the situation as critical after talks with Bratislava refinery Slovnaft, citing a 20% shortfall in global markets and increasing difficulty in securing tanker deliveries as buyers in Asia outbid local suppliers.

> Fico said representatives from Slovnaft, part of Hungary’s MOL Group, told the government that cheaper diesel in northern districts along the Polish border sparked increased purchases by foreign drivers.

> Drivers that buy fuel in the regions bordering Poland and Austria have left “gas stations literally dried up,” Fico warned, adding that the government is ready to intervene if prices spike.

> The government is reportedly considering dual pricing with cheaper fuel for Slovak drivers and higher costs for foreigners, requiring vehicle registration documents. Limits on fuel taken outside standard tanks are also under discussion to curb informal exports.

https://www.rt.com/business/635403-slovakia-diesel-price-hike/