Marinakis: fuel announcements on 30 September, heating oil on 14 October

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis presented the timetable of forthcoming government announcements for fuel and heating oil during Thursday’s 24 September 2026 press briefing, according to what was broadcast by ERT. As the government spokesperson noted, the announcements for fuel are scheduled for 30 September 2026, while the measures specifically concerning heating oil will be announced on 14 October 2026. The same source states that the distribution of heating oil to the market is planned to start on 15 October 2026, the day after the related measures are announced.

Within the context of the briefing, as was reported, reference was made to the revenue currently generated by the Special Consumption Tax (SCT) on fuel, which, according to the figures cited, stands at around 4 billion euros annually. This magnitude explains, in the framework described, why any reduction in the tax is closely linked to the country’s fiscal policy. According to what Pavlos Marinakis stated, the government is seeking to achieve an exemption from the European method of calculating the spending ceiling, so that any reduction in the SCT on fuel is not counted towards the fiscal targets the country has undertaken towards the European Union.

The government spokesperson did not announce, according to the report, any specific amount or percentage of tax reduction, nor did he specify whether any potential reduction would apply equally to all fuel types or would vary by category. Neither has it been announced whether the requested exemption from the European spending-ceiling calculation has been accepted by the relevant European bodies. This is, as emerges from the briefing, a goal of the government rather than a given outcome, a detail that remains critical for citizens waiting to see how fuel and heating oil prices will ultimately be shaped. The same applies to the question of the negotiation timeline with European bodies, as no deadline is mentioned by which an answer is expected regarding the exemption request, nor whether that answer will come before or after the announcements of 30 September and 14 October 2026.

Based on the timetable presented, the next ten days will determine the shape of the measures: on 30 September 2026 the first announcements for fuel in general are expected, while two weeks later, on 14 October 2026, the specific measures for heating oil will follow, with distribution to the market starting the next day, on 15 October 2026. By then no decision on any tax reduction has been announced, only the timetable for the related announcements and the government’s intention to seek the European exemption. More on developments in the economy section.