Slovakia and Hungary confront soaring fuel prices and affordability woes

In Slovakia, diesel prices have risen 27% since February, reaching €1.814 per litre, pushing transport costs up by about €2.64 k per month per truck. Trucking organisation leader Pavol Jančovič warned that without government action—such as cutting the fuel excise tax, removing the transaction tax and offering investment tax incentives—drivers will stage nationwide protests in May, targeting Bratislava and regional capitals.

The Slovak government has so far resisted lowering excise duties, citing potential budget losses, while finance minister Ladislav Kamenický emphasized the importance of continued Russian oil supplies. Negotiations are ongoing between the state and the Slovnaft refinery.

Separately, a study by GKI for Hungary shows that, although fuel affordability has improved since 2010, an average EU wage can purchase about 1.5 times more fuel than a Hungarian wage. Before the recent Iran‑related crisis, a Hungarian monthly net salary bought roughly 900 litres of fuel; the EU average fell from 1 670 litres to below 1 350 litres but still remains about 460 litres higher than in the V4. Hungarian authorities' price caps and tax cuts have mitigated price shocks, yet analysts warn such measures may cause long‑term market distortions.