Ljubljana - The Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS) and the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry (KGZS) both voiced criticism on Friday of the outgoing government's decision not to extend fuel price administration. They expect the emerging government to immediately take action.

OZS representatives told the press in Ljubljana that the recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing and that struggling businesses had no more reserves to fall back on.

OZS head Branko Meh said the enormous rise in fuel prices seen recently is affecting the entire value chain, which is why the chamber hopes the government will help both businesses and households.

Calling for immediate action from the new government, he mentioned the possibility of reintroducing regulated fuel prices or subsidised fuel for hauliers. Meh noted the likely new PM Robert Golob had announced this during the election campaign.

The head of the OZS'a transport department Peter Pišek argued that this was not an energy crisis per se but a crisis driven by politics and speculation. "Somebody will have to do some soul searching and put things right."

Commenting on the possible ban on Russian oil imports, the participants of the press conference said they demanded clear answers from the state and the EU about alternative scenarios should the embargo occur.

If there are no appropriate alternatives, Meh would like Slovenia to join a group of countries that would be exempt from the embargo.

As for the government change, Pišek and Meh said the outgoing government had been supportive during the pandemic. They hope the political vacuum will be filled and action taken as soon as possible, while noting the need to leverage the OZS's experience with the issues on the ground.

The KGZS also called on the new government to reintroduce fuel price regulation and protect the weakest link in the food supply chain.

With regulated prices "we will have an easier time planning our activities than is the case with the current fuel price fluctuations", KGZS president Roman Žveglič said at a press conference organised separately by the KGZS.

Žveglič, who also called a cancellation of excise duties on fuels used in agriculture, pointed out that the costs of raw materials had soared in the past year - the prices of fertilisers have risen by 250%, energy and lubricants by 25%, and poultry feed by 100%. On average, input prices were 20% higher.

He highlighted the ever greater disparity between farm prices and final retail prices, saying the situation needed to be addressed or else "there will be substantially less arable land sown next year".

Commenting on the government change, Žveglič said the chamber would like to get an interlocutor who will value agriculture, be ready to work with NGOs and lend an ear to expert opinions.