ZAGREB, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian government has decided to extend a cap on fuel prices for another two weeks, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Monday.

Under the updated regulation, which will take effect on Tuesday, the price of regular petrol will fall to 1.64 euros (1.93 U.S. dollars) per liter, while regular diesel will drop by 7 cents to 1.78 euros (2.09 U.S. dollars) per liter. The price of blue diesel, used in the agriculture and fishing sectors, will also decrease by 7 cents to 1.29 euros (1.52 U.S. dollars) per liter.

Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said the measure aims to protect citizens' living standards while preserving economic stability and will remain in force for two weeks.

The government sets maximum fuel prices every two weeks based on global oil prices and exchange rates. It also limits retailer margins and can adjust taxes to mitigate price fluctuations. While such intervention is not part of its usual market policy, it is applied in times of crisis.

Most recently, the measure has been linked to disruptions caused by the conflict involving Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which have pushed global oil prices higher. ■