Felbermayr, Director of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, criticized the proposed tax cuts aimed at alleviating costs for drivers, arguing that such measures diminish consumer incentives to adjust behavior, potentially driving prices higher. He anticipates sustained increases in energy prices due to geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, projecting that even a resolution to the Iran conflict would not stabilize prices before 2027. Current regional oil production is constrained by full storage and war-related destruction, leading to expected shortages in kerosene and diesel.