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The Hungarian authorities gained a serious concession from the European Union on Monday, securing a near-total exemption from the bloc’s ban of Russian oil imports.

The exception will assist the populist authorities of Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintain costs at Hungarian fuel pumps in test – however just for Hungarians.

Beginning final Friday, the federal government launched a system of twin pricing at fuel stations throughout the nation. Whereas the value of petrol is now capped at HUF 480/liter ($1.30 per liter or $4.92 per gallon) for Hungarians, overseas drivers filling up in Hungary at the moment are paying much more.

The Hungarian authorities first imposed worth restrictions on gasoline and a few fundamental meals gadgets in November, in an try to melt the affect of quickly rising costs on voters forward of a key basic election in April.

Blaming “petrol tourism” for the transfer, the federal government introduced Friday that the cheaper price will solely be accessible to autos with Hungarian license plates.

Costs at pumps in neighboring EU international locations have been considerably increased for months, and drivers in some border areas have been making the most of the Hungarian coverage. Final week, costs had been hovering round 1.80 euros ($1.93) per liter in Slovakia, Croatia and Austria, and round 1.60 euros ($1.70) in Romania and Slovenia, in line with the European Fee.

Gergely Gulyás, who heads the Hungarian prime minister’s workplace, mentioned in a information convention final week that the gasoline freeze “ensures the perfect costs in Europe.”

The leaders of the European Council introduced on Monday that the European Union had agreed to ban 90% of Russian oil imports by the top of the yr as a part of a package deal of sanctions in opposition to Moscow over its unprovoked assault on Ukraine.

Orban has refused to support a Russian oil and fuel ban, calling the EU “irresponsible” for placing the economies of its members in danger.

Fairly than danger Orban vetoing the entire package deal of sanctions, the EU agreed an exemption could be made for the southern section of the Druzhba pipeline. The northern section of the pipeline serves Poland and Germany, which have agreed to the embargo. The southern half goes to Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic.

CNN’s Boglarka Kosztolanyi contributed reporting to this publish.