Steven N.After threatening a mass gas station shutdown during the upcoming holiday weekend, the Alliance of Independent Gas Stations (FBSZ) issued another statement on Tuesday with a new position. The interest group writes that in an extraordinary general meeting held on Tuesday, it adopted the position that the companies that make up its membership ranks will decide on a one-by-one basis whether to stay open or closed on August 19 and 20.
FBSZ announced a few days ago that the independent gas stations it represents would close on August 19 and 20 due to supply shortages and uncertainties, as well as not receiving a promised government subsidy in July of 20 Ft. for every liter of fuel sold. At the same time, FBSZ noted that it may reverse its position if its members receive the overdue subsidies at the beginning of the week.
The association also announced on Tuesday that in the morning they had held a meeting with State Secretary for Trade Policy Márton Nobilis, who promised them that the government would begin processing subsidy requests this week, and that payments would take place next week.
Holtankoljak.hu’s Eszter Bujdos puts the number of FBSZ member stations at 500-600, out of a total of around 2,000 gas stations in Hungary. Bujdos also warned that mass closures of filling stations over the weekend could set off a wave of panic buying in the public. [HVG]
