Gas prices almost doubled in Romania over the last three years. Between January 2009 and February 2012, the gasoline prices in Romania went up 93 percent, while in the EU, the increase was of 60 percent, according to Andreea Paul Vass, former state adviser of previous Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc. During the same period, the diesel prices in Romania went up by 68 percent, while  the price hike was 55 percent in the EU.

Gasoline prices, as well as the prices for diesel, increased by 4.2 percent between January 9 and February 25, 2012 in Romania. At the European Union level, the prices went up 4.7 percent for gasoline and 4 percent for diesel, in this period. The price of gas was of RON 5.6 per liter (or the equivalent of EUR 1.28), while the price for diesel was of EUR 1.32  (or RON 5.77) on February 25.

However, Romania has the second lowest price of gasoline and the fourth lowest price of diesel in the EU. The gasoline price is with 15 percent lower in Romania than in the EU, while the price of diesel is with 10 percent lower, according to Andreea Paul Vass.

Both Rompetrol and Petrom oil and gas companies in Romania increased gas prices last week. Rompetrol increased the price for gasoline with 16 Romanian bani per liter on February 24, and with 12 Romanian bani per liter  for diesel. This came soon after Petrom also raised the prices for gasoline with 12 bani per liter, and 9 bani per liter for diesel.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com