MP Jakab: Government's Diesel Refuelling Measures Not Working, Causing Chaos

Bratislava, 23 March (TASR) - The government's diesel refuelling measures adopted last week aren't being complied with in practice and are causing chaos, opposition MP Julius Jakab ('Slovakia'-'For the people' caucus) told a briefing on Monday, adding that lorry drivers are filling up beyond the permitted limit at some petrol stations. He also noted that foreigners are enjoying the same diesel prices as Slovak drivers rather than paying the higher price required by a government regulation. According to Jakab, the entire country is laughing at the current government for having botched all its measures. "They can't even handle setting up refuelling at petrol stations. I don't even know how to describe the current government's incompetence, as it can't even regulate refuelling, with the result being that everyone is evading it. A construction company told us that it was allowed to put 100 litres into canisters. We've also seen foreign drivers refuelling for the same diesel prices as Slovaks," stated Jakab. On 18 March, the government adopted a regulation limiting, for the next 30 days, the volume of diesel that can be bought at petrol stations in Slovakia. The government also put a temporary limit on exports of diesel from Slovak territory. At the same time, a special price for diesel, set as the average price for Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland, was supposed to apply at petrol stations for all vehicles registered outside Slovak territory. jrg/df