Greeks Flood Bulgarian Gas Stations for Cheaper Fuel

[poiuytrewq0987]

A large number of Greek citizens have been purchasing fuel from gas stations in Bulgaria’s southern regions because of the lower prices.

Local media from the border regions report that hundreds or even thousands of Greeks have been driving to Bulgaria to buy gas in the last few days as the excise tax hike instituted recently in struggling Greece led to a steep increase of fuel prices there.

Thus, gas prices in Greece have reached as much as EUR 1.75 per liter while the average price in Bulgaria is about EUR 1.1-1.2 per liter.

Bulgaria’s own fuel prices were increased by about BGN 0.01 on May 1, 2010.

A price hike in Hungary – up to EUR 1.26 per liter – has led to a similar situation in which many Hungarians drive to Romania, where the gas prices are about 15% lower.

http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=115951

[SwordoftheVistula]

Quite predictable. Are they also buying cigarettes and alcohol, which if memory serves me correct are also in for a tax hike? This will put a dent in their predictions for fixing the budget crisis, not only losing the predicted new taxes, but also the revenue they were getting previously from the sales of gas & other items in Greece, not to mention the damage to businesses in Greece especially near the border. You really can't 'fix' a budget by tax increases.

[Sabinae]

*sigh* even in Romania they plan on increasing taxes, they are trying their best to run away from the same situiation, but... i think collapse is near, no matter what they'd do now. They did everything wrong before this moment, and they woke up too late to save anything.

[Groenewolf]

Already is happening for a long time here in the Netherlands. Where those living close to Germany prefer filling up their car there instead of here, because gas is more expensive here thanks to the taxation on it.

[SwordoftheVistula]

Are there any attempts by the high tax countries to put a stop to this?

Some of our states have attempted to levy taxes on those who make purchases across state lines, and commercial truck drivers are monitored and forced to pay 'usage taxes' equivalent to the gasoline they use in a state regardless of where they purchase it.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Are there any attempts by the high tax countries to put a stop to this?

Some of our states have attempted to levy taxes on those who make purchases across state lines, and commercial truck drivers are monitored and forced to pay 'usage taxes' equivalent to the gasoline they use in a state regardless of where they purchase it.

It's not feasible for me to go across state lines to purchase gas since the average here is already pretty low compared to gas in California... :P

[Tabiti]

And we flood their shops for cheaper olive oil;)
See, there's always a balance in nature...

P.S. Cars suck. People think owning a car makes you independent, but actually it turns you into a slave of a machine - fuel, taxes, maintenance...

[Groenewolf]

Are there any attempts by the high tax countries to put a stop to this?

From what I heard the so called Rekeningrijden is not so much as to replace the road-taxation that car and motor owners have to pay, but primarily to compensate the lesser returns they get on taxation on gas. Which of course shows that the tax was never about encouraging people to drive more fuel efficient cars but like always about gettting more money.

[SwordoftheVistula]

From what I heard the so called Rekeningrijden is not so much as to replace the road-taxation that car and motor owners have to pay, but primarily to compensate the lesser returns they get on taxation on gas. Which of course shows that the tax was never about encouraging people to drive more fuel efficient cars but like always about gettting more money.

Yep, similar things are being proposed here. A mileage tax on cars, with tracking devices installed on the cars, because they are losing tax revenue due to more fuel efficient cars.