Diesel will become cheaper than regular petrol in Slovenia for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic over four years ago, as regulated prices change on 23 April.

Regulated prices apply at fuel stations outside the motorway network. The prices of regular petrol will go up 1.8 cents to €1.56 per litre, while diesel will be 1.5 cents cheaper, at €1.527.

The new prices were announced by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy on 22 April, and will stay in force for the next two weeks.

While excise duties will remain unchanged, the ministry assessed that, absent any regulation, a litre of regular petrol would have cost around €1.622 and diesel €1.602.

Prices at petrol stations along motorways are set freely by the retailers, while those outside are calculated every two weeks based on a method that takes into account global fuel prices and the dollar-euro exchange rate.

Arguing that the caps on fuel retailers' margins set by the government are too low and making their business unviable, the country's largest fuel retailer. Petrol turned to the Constitutional Court in December, but the court recently rejected the petition, proposing the company sue the state for damages.

Prices outside the motorway network are also regulated in Croatia, where regular petrol will go up by 2 cents to €1.56 per litre on 23 April, while diesel will be a cent cheaper, at €1.45.

Fuel sold in other countries neighbouring Slovenia is costlier.