Following the 20% reduction in diesel excise duty between August 16-31, drivers were advised to take advantage of this temporary price relaxation, as future market conditions remain uncertain. Price increases do not stem from international crude oil quotations, which fluctuated between $79 and $88 per barrel in early August.

The real pressure originates in the refined products market, where Romania depends on diesel imports. A critical factor is the situation in the Russian Federation, where accelerated loss of refining capacity transformed an energy exporter into an active buyer on international markets, competing for the same diesel imports.

At gas stations, the 20% excise cut brought prices close to 10 lei per liter. Stations displaying 9.99 lei use marketing tactics, while others, such as Lukoil, maintain higher prices around 10.35 lei due to logistics and transportation costs from importing fuel following the shutdown of domestic refining capacity.

The structural problem remains the massive fiscal burden imposed by the state. With fuel prices exceeding those in Bulgaria, Hungary, or Poland, filling a 60-liter tank means nearly 300 lei goes directly to state accounts—an overwhelming burden for the Romanian economy, as discussed during the ROEC expert's appearance on Digi24.