Slovakia is considering imposing higher diesel prices or purchase limits on foreign drivers to address severe fuel shortages at border gas stations, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced. The move follows reports that fuel tourism, particularly from neighbouring Poland and Austria, has depleted local supplies.
Fico, alongside Economy Minister Denisa Sakova, described the situation as critical after consultations with Slovnaft, the country’s main refinery. They cited a 20% global market shortfall and increasing difficulty in securing tanker deliveries, with Asian buyers outbidding European suppliers. The government stated that cheaper diesel in northern Slovakia near the Polish border has attracted excessive cross-border purchases, leaving pumps empty.
Proposed measures include introducing dual pricing, where Slovak-registered vehicles receive lower rates while foreign drivers pay a premium, requiring registration checks. Authorities are also discussing limits on fuel quantities to prevent informal exports.
The shortage is attributed by Fico to two major geopolitical disruptions. First, the halt of Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, which transits Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia. Fico accused Ukraine of deliberately blocking the pipeline for political reasons, a claim Kyiv denies, citing damage from Russian strikes. Second, he linked the global squeeze to the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz—a route for 20% of the world’s seaborne crude.
Earlier this year, Hungary and Slovakia suspended diesel supplies to Ukraine in retaliation for the pipeline shutdown. EU-led mediation efforts, including a Czech proposal, have stalled as Ukraine has rejected international inspections. However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Ukraine has accepted an EU offer to repair the pipeline, with experts scheduled to inspect the damaged section this week.
The Slovak government warns it will intervene if prices spike further. The crisis highlights the vulnerability of Central Europe to disruptions in Russian oil transit and Middle East supply routes. The outcome of the EU inspection mission and Ukraine’s willingness to restore flows will be critical for regional energy security in the coming weeks.
