Irina Vlah, leader of the Republican Party “Inima Moldovei”, has called on the Moldovan government to take urgent measures to protect citizens and the economy from rising fuel prices.

According to Vlah, while European countries are looking for ways to shield people and businesses from a new surge in the prices of petroleum products, the authorities in the Republic of Moldova are effectively standing by and doing nothing.

Vlah noted that European Union countries are already discussing concrete measures. Next week, EU finance ministers are expected to consider a possible mechanism for taxing excess profits earned by oil companies as a result of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz imposed by Iran. Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland and Austria have proposed the initiative.

The leader of “Inima Moldovei” also pointed out that European countries have taken various measures in recent months to limit the impact of rising fuel prices on consumers and national economies.

Spain reduced VAT on petrol and diesel from 21% to 10% and lowered excise duties to the minimum level permitted under EU legislation. Poland cut VAT on fuel from 23% to 8% and also reduced excise duties. Italy temporarily reduced excise duties on petrol and diesel, while Portugal lowered fuel excise duties to mitigate the effects of rising prices. Hungary and Slovenia have also temporarily reduced excise duties and, during certain periods, introduced fuel price caps at petrol stations. Ireland has likewise reduced fuel excise duties during periods of global oil-market crises.

“Other countries are looking for ways to reduce the burden on people. The authorities of the Republic of Moldova, however, have chosen to do nothing and simply count the additional budget revenues that increase along with the prices of petrol and diesel,” Vlah said.

She argued that rising fuel prices affect citizens not only when they fill up their cars, but also through higher prices for goods and services.

“Citizens pay for rising fuel prices not once, but at least twice. The first time is directly at the petrol station. The second time is in shops, at markets and when paying for services, because transportation costs are included in the price of goods,” Vlah said.

According to the politician, higher fuel costs lead to more expensive transportation, which in turn contributes to higher prices across the economy. This puts additional pressure on inflation and reduces people’s purchasing power.

Vlah said that the consequences are particularly serious for low-income families, pensioners, farmers, entrepreneurs and others for whom transportation represents a significant share of their expenses.

In this context, the leader of “Inima Moldovei” called on the government to take four concrete measures:

1. Introduce a zero VAT rate on petrol and diesel for the duration of the crisis on the global petroleum-products market;
2. Reduce excise duties on petrol and diesel at least to the level in effect before January 1, 2026, representing a 7% reduction;
3. Strengthen oversight of petroleum-market operators, particularly regarding the formation of final prices;
4. Consider introducing a mechanism for taxing excess profits earned by oil companies and direct the resulting revenues toward social needs.

“Stop looking at rising fuel prices solely as an opportunity to collect more money for the state budget. For the government, these are additional revenues, but for people they are additional expenses every day,” Vlah said.

She urged the authorities to take into account the broader impact of fuel-price increases on the economy and household budgets.

“Other countries reduce taxes, limit excessive profits and protect consumers during crises. The Republic of Moldova should do the same,” Irina Vlah stressed.

She concluded by calling on the government to focus not only on the additional revenues generated by the international fuel-market crisis, but also on protecting citizens from the rising cost of living.