Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced the capping of prices for gasoline and diesel to protect consumers from rising prices due to the war in the Middle East.

Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, declared that starting from midnight, fuel prices will be capped to protect citizens from the rising oil prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Hungary thus becomes the second country in the European Union, after Croatia, to implement such a measure. The price of gasoline will be limited to 595 forints (approximately 1.75 dollars) per liter, and diesel to 615 forints (approximately 1.81 dollars) per liter, applying only to vehicles registered in Hungary. The government will draw fuel from the state reserve to ensure supply, and Orban mentioned the blockage of the Druzhba pipeline as a factor that contributed to this decision. He also called on the European Union to suspend sanctions against Russian oil and gas. The price capping measure is not the first of its kind, as Hungary had a similar experience between November 2021 and June 2022, when it lifted the cap due to fuel shortages.

The price of oil has recently risen to over 119 dollars per barrel, prompting governments to seek solutions to limit the economic impact on consumers.