Opposition urges government to hand out energy benefits

Michael Farrugia, Opposition spokesperson on Consumer Rights, said that when one takes into consideration the exchange rate and international oil prices, and even if one accepts that fuel prices are rising, the prices should still have been much less than those announced.

“The maximum justifiable increase should have been of 1c instead of 3c for petrol and 3c and not 7c for diesel,” Farrugia said, adding that government has not yet contradicted the figures.

Farrugia also said that for every €10 families and businesses spend in fuel, only €4.50 are related to the oil prices, whilst the remaining €5.50 are taxes imposed by government.

“Like the Malta Employers’ Association said, the increase in fuel prices have nothing to do with the uprising in Libya,” he said. “Moreover, unusually for it, government did not comment about the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar which currently is to favour consumers.”

Farrugia urged the Prime Minister to give households energy benefits, "just like he found money to give himself and his Ministers a pay rise."

“Him failing to do so will be a clear proof of Gonzi’s government having the wrong priorities,” Farrugia concluded.