Drivers in Hungary increasingly see fuel shortages

Drivers in Hungary are increasingly running into petrol and diesel shortages at filling stations as a government-imposed price cap squeezes the operators of independent stations and leaves the state energy company struggling to keep up with demand.

At hundreds of fuel stations across Hungary, a confusing mosaic of paper signs hang from the pumps to let customers know what is available - or not - and at what price and quantity.A sign at one station in Martonvasar, a town 20 miles southwest of Budapest, Hungary's capital, informs motorists they may only purchase two litres of fuel at a reduced price set by the government more than a year ago.Hungary is highly dependent on Russian oil and gas.