Prague, Czech Republic – Saturday, April 25, 2026 – The Czech lower house of parliament has overridden Senate opposition to pass legislation granting the government authority to regulate fuel prices through decree, bypassing the Finance Ministry’s traditional role in setting gasoline and diesel costs via official notices.
The Chamber of Deputies voted 103 to 46 in favor of the measure on Friday, achieving the supermajority needed to reject the Senate’s veto. Finance Minister Alena Schillerová of the ANO party said the law should be sent to President Petr Pavel for signature by the end of the week, emphasizing that if it does not grab effect by month’s end, her ministry would be forced to issue a fresh general measure under current regulations.
Schillerová defended the legislation as economically necessary, accusing the opposition of turning a practical issue into a political confrontation. “It worries me that the opposition has made a necessary and sensible measure into a political battle,” she stated during parliamentary debate. “In this matter, politics should clearly step aside. This isn’t about government or opposition — it’s about citizens, households, businesses, and the stability of our economy.”
Opposition lawmakers, including Senator Tomáš Goláň of the ODS party, criticized the bill for limiting legal recourse, arguing that challenges to government fuel price decrees would only be possible before the Constitutional Court, not administrative courts. “Are we talking about political maneuvering when someone denies the possibility of defending oneself in administrative proceedings?” Goláň questioned colleagues on the floor.
The legislation marks a shift in how fuel pricing is managed in the Czech Republic, transferring decisive authority from the Finance Ministry to the executive branch. With the president’s expected endorsement, the rule could enable direct government intervention in gasoline and diesel markets as early as May.
