Slovenia limits fuel purchases as pumps run dry

Slovenia on Sunday temporarily limited fuel purchases to tackle shortages at the pump caused in part by cross-border fuelling and stockpiling due to the Iran war, raising concerns about security of supplies as the country goes to the polls.

Fuelling at individual service stations is limited to 50 litres per day for private vehicles and 200 litres for legal entities and private businessmen, such as farmers. The restrictions will stay in force until further notice, Prime Minister Robert Golob announced on Saturday evening.

"Let me reassure you that there is enough fuel in Slovenia, the warehouses are full and there will be no fuel shortages," said Golob, a liberal who is standing against right-wing populist Janez Jansa in an election on Sunday.

Golob said the problem lay in the transportation of fuel to gas stations, and that the army would use tankers to help retailers move supplies.

Petrol, the largest Slovenian oil distribution company, has suffered fuel shortages, causing long queues at its gas stations in recent days.

Many Petrol stations across Slovenia were closed on Sunday. Those belonging to Hungarian oil and gas group MOL have remained open but had already limited purchases to 30 litres for individuals and 200 litres for legal entities.

"Today we didn't have problems because I have an application where I can check where to tank," teacher Tamara Gale Beasinsky, 40, said at a gas station in Ljubljana. "But yesterday we had a problem because we were waiting more than 20 minutes in the queue...and we were able to tank only 30 litres of diesel."

The government has asked retailers to update it on the supply situation on a daily basis so additional measures can be imposed if necessary. It has also recommended that retailers prepare special measures for foreign drivers, Golob said.

"I didn't think it would...be linked so quickly to the events taking place in Iran," said Sahli Pierre-Alain, a Swiss tourist in Ljubljana.

-Reporting by Fatos Bytyci, Gaspar Lubej and Branko Filipovic, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Kirsten Donovan/Reuters