Fuel prices in Malta are still among the highest in Europe, Shadow Energy Minister Marthese Portelli said this morning.

In a statement, she said this was the impact of the corruption which had overtaken the government and a result of which the Maltese and Gozitans were suffering.

The price of diesel in Malta, she said, was higher than the European average and the sixth highest from among the 28 EU countries. The price in Malta was €1.16 per litre when the price in other countries, including Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Latvia, Poland and Lithuania was €1 per litre.

Petrol in Malta was 20c higher per litre than Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

This, Dr Portelli said, was leading to an increase in poverty.

LABOUR REACTION

In a reaction, the Labour Party said the present government had reduced local fuel prices on the same lines as prices went down in the EU.

In contrast, the PN administration between 2008 and 2013 had raised prices by 36 per cent when the international oil price went up by 4 per cent. Electricity tariffs had also gone up steeply. 

Under the present government, families were saving an average of €820, of which €150 were savings on power and the rest on fuel.