[REVISION HISTORY]

Romanian fuel price volatility and policy response

Updated 20 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-16 04:36 UTC → 2026-09-18 06:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

By mid-September 2026, Romanian fuel prices continued their upward trajectory, with diesel costs rising to between 10.35 and 10.72 lei per liter across major networks. This surge represents an approximate 26.5% increase in diesel prices since February, effectively offsetting previous fiscal relief measures. In major urban centers such as Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Timișoara, some networks reported daily price hikes of up to 10 bani per liter. The price volatility has triggered significant political criticism. PSD Deputy and former Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan characterized the current diesel rates as a “historic price” and called for immediate government intervention, including audits by the Competition Council and ANAF. Additionally, former Labor Minister Marius Budăi suggested that official inflation data, which recorded a decrease to 6.17% in August, fails to reflect the actual cost-of-living pressures facing families. While national statistics indicated a decline in the annual inflation rate to 6.17% in August, fuel costs remain a primary driver of price instability. Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) suggests this decline is largely due to a positive base effect, as diesel and gasoline saw double-digit annual growth compared to August 2025. By mid-month, standard gasoline approached the 10 lei per liter threshold, averaging approximately 9.97 lei. Despite the Ministry of Finance confirming that a 25% reduction in the excise tax on standard diesel will be maintained until the end of September, prices continue to fluctuate, with diesel reaching as high as 10.72 lei at certain stations. By September 18, 2026, prices reached new levels, with standard 95 gasoline averaging 9.97 lei per liter and standard diesel averaging 10.77 lei per liter. Premium diesel has exceeded 11.49 lei per liter.

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