Special situation in the hydrocarbon market announced - Government establishes Transparency Board, mandatory prices for companies
The Albanian government has declared a special situation in the hydrocarbon market, following the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East and its impact on fuel prices in our country.
The decision was approved by the Council of Ministers on March 19, 2026 and published in the Official Gazette, and provides that during the period of the special situation, the Transparency and Temporary Price Limitation Board for the wholesale and retail trade of oil and gas by-products will be activated.
As in the case of the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, this mechanism will have the power to determine prices for market operators, with the aim of protecting consumers and stabilizing the market.
"The prices, which are determined by the Board during the special situation, are mandatory for all entities that carry out activities in the field of trading oil and gas by-products in the country," the decision states.
Likewise, entities operating in this sector are required to notify the ministry responsible for the economy of their representatives on the board by March 24, which suggests that the Board will be effective after this date.
In recent days, oil in our country has been traded at around 214 lek/liter, up from 175 lek/liter before the start of the crisis. Meanwhile, in addition to the Transparency Board, which mostly keeps under control the profits of fuel wholesale and retail companies, the government has declared that it will reduce the excise tax level by 20%, which will reduce the price by 8 lek/liter. However, this decision has not yet been approved.
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