The European Commission has published the consumer prices of petroleum products inclusive of duties and taxes as of Monday, June 15. These prices are marginally lower than those of the week before. These prices have been going down slightly for the past four weeks.

According to these figures, there are 19 EU countries where the price of diesel is lower than in Malta. And there are 12 EU countries where petrol is lower in price than in Malta.

What is keeping Enemed Co. Ltd from procuring its supplies of petrol and diesel from the same sources as these EU countries? Why does the government not allow local representatives of major oil companies to compete with Enemed and let them import their brand and grades of petroleum products?

How can these representatives of foreign oil companies compete with Enemed, if all the storage facilities belong to the government? Is Mepa prepared to issue permits for petroleum storage facilities to third parties?

What is the margin of profit that Enemed is making on these petroleum products, given its dominant position in the market? What quality of petrol and diesel is Enemed importing into Malta?

Is it possible that the increase in pollution in Malta is the result of inferior quality of petroleum pro-ducts imported by Enemed?

What is the amount of ethanol contained in the petrol imported by Enemed? Is it possible that pollution in other EU countries has decreased because they have introduced better grades of petrol and diesel, including biofuels?

When are Maltese consumers going to have the facility to purchase the brand and grade of petrol and diesel that they prefer?

It is not the business of government to import, store and sell petroleum products.