The government noted today that inflation in Malta in March was the lowest since the harmonized index of consumer prices started being compiled by the National Statistics Office.

The rate was 0.6% whereas under the former government the annual rate measured in March was 2.8%.

The government said the drop was a consequence of its policies, not least the reduction in water and electricity tariffs. 

The government also noted that according to EU data issued today, since mid-January the average price of petrol in the EU had risen by 15c and petrol by 10c.

In the same period, in Malta the price of petrol was down by 7c and diesel by 9c. Malta was the only country to have recorded a reduction in fuel prices during that period. According to the EU data, 12  EU countries had petrol prices which were higher than Malta's. The highest petrol price was €1.60 in The Netherlands, 25c more than in Malta. The highest price for diesel was in the UK at €1.65, 41 dearer than in Malta.