Latvian Economics Minister Viktors Valainis sent a letter to the Cabinet of Ministers on July 28, 2026, urging early preparation of support measures.
Surging global oil costs are driving domestic fuel prices higher across European nations.
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Data from the Ministry of Economics shows Brent crude oil prices jumped 14.5 percent between July 21 and July 27.
ICE Low Sulphur Gasoil rose 17.1 percent during the same period.
The rapid shifts prompted calls for preemptive fiscal action across eastern European governments.
Valainis emphasized that delaying preparation until market conditions reach legal crisis thresholds would create unnecessary political and economic pressure on households and public services.
"In my view, our responsibility is to act preventively rather than wait until a crisis has already arrived," said Viktors Valainis, Latvian Minister of Economics.
He noted that designing support mechanisms during an emergency takes significantly longer than preparing them in advance.
The minister noted that increased fuel costs have already expanded operating expenses for public institutions. He specifically highlighted healthcare and interior sector budgets that require protection.
Meanwhile, opposition figures in Montenegro criticized recent domestic tax policy shifts that increased retail fuel costs.
European Union MP Boris Mugoša stated that the Montenegrin government reduced its diesel excise tax cut from 30 percent to 20 percent while completely ending gasoline tax relief.
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"For example, citizens pay 45 cents more per liter of diesel than they did a few months ago, or 34 percent more expensive," said Boris Mugoša.
