The Labour Party said today that the gas price hike announced on Thursday showed how the government was ignoring the middle class and did not protect the weak. 

The party said it could not but note the 'disgusting complicity' of GonziPN,  the authorities and all those involved, who chose to announce the price rise on Maundy Thursday, after the main news bulletins, when most people were out,  when newspapers were not published the following day, and at a time when political announcements were usually not made. 

GonziPn appeared to have thought that through this - and the fact that the PL did not issue statements on Good Friday - it could somehow manage the people's anger.

The PL said it was informed that the government had known about these price rises for several days but had waited until the local elections were over. 

The party called for publication of the workings on which the price increases were based because some points needed explaining.

The authorities needed to say when they became aware of the price rises and whether any meetings about them had taken place.

These increases, the party said, were a blow to the people's living standards and to businesses.