Frugal Germans are crossing into Poland to buy gasoline as oil prices rise as Iran cuts global oil supplies in retaliation for attacks by the United States and Israel.
As of Wednesday, the price of a liter of Super E10 gasoline was 2.01 euros and the price of a liter of diesel was 2.13 euros, up about 15% and 24% from February prices, according to data from German motorists association ADAC.
Although Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said on Wednesday the government would limit price increases at gas stations to once a day, some bargain-hunting Germans told AFP they would not take the chance.
“I will need to drive a lot next week, and gas is cheaper here,” said Joerg, 50, who works for an insurance company and declined to give his first name.
He planned to cross Germany to visit his sister in Stuttgart, crossing for the first time from his East German hometown of Frankfurt an der Oder to the western Polish town of Słubice in order to fill up his gas tank.
“I’d rather spend my money there than here,” he told AFP as he filled up his gray Opel Tigra at a gas station. “But you have to take care of yourself.”
Due to the low value-added tax and fuel tax levied by the Polish government, Jörg’s newly chosen gas station sells diesel for only PLN 7.73, so he can afford the lower price.
It only adds to the feeling that the German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, elected last year and featuring the far-right Alternative for Germany party, which bills itself as a party to revive the economy and fight insurgency, has distanced itself from the concerns of people like Jörg.
“I don’t think this can go on forever,” Joerger said of rising prices at the pump. “There’s already a lot of dissatisfaction.”
– “Why does it work here but not in Germany?” –
Melanie Adam, a 33-year-old industrial mechanic, told AFP that her monthly trip from Berlin to Słubice to buy cheaper fuel and cigarettes was now more cost-effective than ever.
“It’s easier for all Germans to come here and refuel than there,” she said, adding that the government should lower environmental taxes.
“This works in Poland,” she said. “Why does it work here but not in Germany? That’s the problem.”
Facing growing public anger, a Treasury spokesman said on Friday that the government had not profited from rising prices at petrol stations, noting that VAT was the only tax whose revenue rose with fuel prices.
But criticism is growing in car-crazy Germany, where politicians see an opportunity to demonstrate credibility with their people by calling on the government to do more for drivers.
Markus Soeder, leader of Merz’s Bavarian sister party CSU, told broadcasters RTL and ntv: “In my opinion it is not enough to say that only one price increase is allowed per day, because then they will raise prices even higher.”
He added that more should be done “to address potential price gouging”.
Jörg agreed, telling AFP the government should do more for drivers.
“As long as the war continues, we should do our best to save ourselves,” he said, adding that the situation could be worse, though.
“I’m happy to live here,” he said. “Because I can go to Poland. Not everyone knows that.”
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Rongtai Group
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
