PiS politicians now accuse the government of “reaching into drivers' pockets again” by increasing the fuel fee. They do not add that the Minister of Infrastructure of the United Right government did the same – because everything is simply determined by the inflation rate. In addition, it does not necessarily affect gasoline prices.
Since December 7, 2024, PiS politicians and anonymous users have been reporting on social media that “Tusk's government is increasing the fuel fee” by over 3%. from 2025. By the way, some people remind us that in the election campaign before the 2023 Sejm elections, Donald Tusk promised fuel for just over PLN 5, so the decision of Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak distances the government from fulfilling this promise. Especially since Klimczak himself in 2021 he wrote on Twitterthat “the emission fee, fuel fee and refining margin can be reduced” to lower fuel prices.
“Fuel at PLN 5.19? Forget it! Tusk's government is reaching into drivers' pockets again, increasing the fuel fee by over 3%. High prices at stations are their 'vision of development'” – he wrote on Facebook, PiS MP Michał Woś (original spelling of posts). “Reducing fuel prices was supposed to be so simple, but on St. Nicholas Day the Minister of Infrastructure 'gifted' Poles – he raised the fuel fee. Maybe he didn't wake up and still drives after 5.19?” – he commented also on Facebook, PiS MP and former Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin. And former deputy minister of justice Marcin Warchoł on website X he stated ironically: “Donald Tusk's government gave Poles a gift on St. Nicholas Day – it increased the fuel fee. More expensive transport means higher prices in stores.”
Entries by PiS MPs about increasing the fuel fee, in which politicians omitted one important aspect: the reason for the increaseFacebook/X
Right-wing portals also wrote extensively about “raising fuel taxes by the government.” “There will be no fuel after 5.19! The government is raising the fuel fee” – this is the title of the text on the website wpolityce.pl. “Fuel at 5.19? Tusk's government 'quietly'… raises the fuel fee” – it was written on Fronda.pl. “Donald Tusk's government lied to Poles again. Fuel was supposed to cost PLN 5.19, but the fuel surcharge will increase from the new year,” the text said in the title. Radio Maryja website.
However, the message “the government raises” is a manipulation if you do not add why it must do so – every government, not just Tusk's.
Inflation linked fuel surcharge
The announcement of the Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak regarding the fuel fee has appeared in “Monitor Polski” December 6. The Minister informed that in accordance with the provisions of the Act on Toll Motorways and the National Road Fund, in 2025 the fuel fee will amount to: – PLN 202.20 for 1,000 liters of motor gasoline, – PLN 436.07 for 1,000 liters of diesel oil, – PLN 246.87 per 1000 kilograms of gases.
This year it is: PLN 195.74; PLN 422.13 and PLN 238.98. That means next year increase in fees for all types of fuel will be approximately 3.3 percent. This value, however, is not the idea of the Minister of Infrastructure, because it is not him who decides on the amount of the fuel fee increase. The increase depends on the inflation rate.
As the Minister of Infrastructure indicated in the announcement, by changing the amount of the fuel fee, he is fulfilling the obligation imposed on him by the Act on Toll Motorways and the National Road Fund. There in the article 37m section 2 it is stated that “fuel surcharge rates (…) are increased for the next year to the extent corresponding to the price increase of consumer goods and services in the first three quarters of the year.” More simply: Pursuant to the Act, the fuel fee increases by the inflation rate from the first three quarters of the previous year.
And how? he gave October 15, 2024 Central Statistical Office, in the first three quarters of 2024, compared to the same period a year earlier, prices increased by 3.3%. Therefore, the fuel surcharge also increased by this amount. Indeed, the announcement about the increase is signed by the Minister of Infrastructure, but he is not the one who decides on the amount of this change.
The fuel surcharge was also increased by the inflation rate by Dariusz Klimczak's predecessor as Minister of Infrastructure – Andrzej Adamczyk from PiS. In 2023, this increase was as much as 13.2 percent, because that was the inflation rate then, and in 2024 – during Klimczak's term – by 13.3 percent. Already then, PiS politicians blamed the newly formed government of Donald Tusk for increasing the fee, without explaining that it was implementing the provisions of the act – just like a minister in their government did.
READ MORE IN KONKRET24: “Fuel surcharge up.” PiS blames Tusk's government. What doesn't he say?
A small part of the fuel price
A side issue is whether the increase in the fuel fee will actually result in an increase in fuel prices at stations. On the e-petrol.pl website calculatedthat this fee, depending on the type of fuel, is from 3.3%. (Pb95 gasoline) up to 6.8 percent (diesel) final price. Therefore, oil prices on international markets, exchange rates and excise duty have a much greater impact on fuel prices at stations than the fuel fee.
The fee per liter of fuel in 2025 will increase by less than 1 grosz (PLN 0.01) for all types of fuel. Already last year, when the fuel fee was increased by 13.3%, the e-petrol portal predicted that this should not translate into prices at gas stations, because wholesale fuel prices fall at the end of the year, which would compensate for the increase in fuel fee rates. . Also now, wholesale fuel prices are getting lower, starting from mid-November 2024.
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