Fuel shortages have caused an avalanche at gas stations in Hungary, Hungarian energy giant MOL said on Tuesday, as a result of gasoline price caps imposed by Viktor Orbán’s government, AFP reported.

“The supply situation is clearly critical, demand has skyrocketed, consumers are hoarding stocks and panic has set in,” said MOL CEO György Bacha.

Hungarian media showed queues of up to 100 meters at petrol stations across the country on Wednesday, while an AFP photographer found that most pumps at several stations in Budapest had run out of fuel.

“Partial food shortages are affecting our entire network, and a quarter of our gas stations are completely dry,” Baksa said.

He said the fuel shortage was caused by a 30 percent drop in fuel imports, as well as maintenance work at one of MOL’s refineries, which is expected to last “several weeks.”

According to the Association of Independent Service Stations (FBSZ), the import deficit is caused by the government’s fuel price cap, which has caused foreign companies to reduce fuel supplies to Hungary.

“The price ceiling must be abandoned,” the FBSZ said in a statement sent to AFP.

In November 2021, Budapest adopted a fixed price of around €1.17 per liter of unleaded 95. Reviewed every three months, the cap was last extended in September and remains in place until the end of the year.