Steven N.The government has made a decision on the so-called “price stops,” announced Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his social media page on Thursday.
According to his Facebook post:
- the fixed prices on certain food items will remain in place until October 1, 2022,
- the credit moratorium and the fixed interest rates on mortgage loans will stay in force until December 31, 2022,
- the price cap on regular gasoline and diesel oil will be extended until October 1, 2022.
The Association of Independent Gas Stations responded to the announcement by saying they hoped there would be enough fuel to last this long.
The government has received a good deal of criticism over its official price fixing policies, writes Magyar Hang.
Numerous smaller filling stations have become unprofitable and insolvent since the policy to set the price of regular gas at 480 Ft. (US $1.27) per liter was introduced last November, which has also led to a shortage of fuel.
The official fixed prices on certain food items, launched on February 1, has also led to considerable consternation from grocers. Seven products – crystal sugar, BL-55 wheat flour, sunflower cooking oil, pork leg, chicken breasts, chicken backs, and 2.8% UHT milk – have to be sold at exact the price they were on October 15 last year, even if it means a loss for retailers on each item sold.
In addition, stores are required to stock the foods items under the fixed price policy. [Magyar Hang]
