Slovenian government deploys military assets to combat fuel shortages
Slovenia introduced temporary fuel rationing on Sunday to manage nationwide shortages at the pumps. The crisis stems from a surge in cross-border refueling and precautionary hoarding linked to escalating tensions with Iran.
Under the new regulations, private vehicle owners are restricted to 50 litres of fuel per day. Commercial entities, including entrepreneurs and farmers, are permitted up to 200 litres.
Logistics over scarcity
Prime Minister Robert Golob assured the public that Slovenia’s strategic reserves remain at full capacity. He emphasized that the issue is a distribution bottleneck rather than a lack of supply.
To resolve the gridlock, the Slovenian Army will deploy tankers to assist distributors in transporting fuel to stations. This move comes as Golob faces a tight electoral race against right-wing leader Janez Janša.
Market impact
Petrol, the nation's largest fuel distributor, reported severe shortages and forced station closures across the country. Meanwhile, the Hungarian energy group MOL kept its stations open but imposed stricter limits of 30 litres for individuals.
Citizen perspectives
The restrictions have caused significant delays for commuters and tourists alike. Tamara Gale Beasinsky, a local teacher, reported waiting over 20 minutes on Saturday only to be capped at 30 litres of diesel.
Foreign travelers, such as Swiss tourist Sahli Pierre-Alain, expressed surprise at how rapidly geopolitical events in the Middle East impacted local logistics in Central Europe.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
