STA, 16 June 2022 - Prime Minister Robert Golob has announced regulation of gas and electricity prices as possible additional measures to fight price hikes, adding that the government also intends to make public the prices of the basic food basket at individual retailers.
Speaking for the commercial POP TV and the public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening, Golob said that several measures were being planned when it came to the high electricity and gas prices.
He announced that legislation was in the works that would enable "regulation of electricity and gas prices also for households and all individual consumers, for example in multi-apartment buildings and the like."
Golob explained yesterday's government decision to regulate the prices of motor fuels outside the motorway network and re-liberalise them along the motorways for one year by saying that "consumers expect predictability and comparability with other countries."
"The system being introduced brings exactly this," the prime minister said, noting that EUR 150 million in claims from fuel retailers to be compensated for losses related to the government regulation had been filed in less than two months.
The prime minister said that such a model was unsustainable, and such retroactive claims are inappropriate, adding that the government would continue to negotiate with fuel retailers over this issue.
The largest Slovenian fuel retailer Petrol welcomed the announced abolition of full regulation of prices that has been in force since 11 May, and also from mid-March and the end of April.
The company said that the current model was disproportionate and unsustainable. "It only burdens retailers of petroleum products, who are forced to sell fuel below the purchase costs, every litre sold is a loss," it added.
The fuel retailer OMV Slovenija also commented on the damage claims, saying that it had not received any feedback from the relevant ministries so far. "We expect an invitation for a coordinating meeting from the government," the company added.
Golob also announced talks with food retailers. He noted that these had very different prices and margins, so the government would make it very clear where the prices of the basic food basket were low "and where they are obviously astronomical".
He noted that the government would not do negative advertising, but positive advertising for those who would demonstrate the lowest prices of the basic food basket and the lowest margins.
