Motorists could find it even harder to get fuel this week if an urgent meeting between the government and pump station owners was not set, the GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs has warned.

Station owners announced on Monday night that fuel would not be available from pumping stations after they close at 6pm. The action started on Tuesday.

Industrial action was announced on Monday as a long standing dispute over higher profit margins with the government persists. In line with directives issued so far, the pumps are switched off once fuel stations close at 6pm and licence payments to the Regulator for Energy and Water Services have been suspended.

The GRTU’s CEO, Abigail Mamo, said on Tuesday the action would be stepped up over the next few days unless the government agreed to hold an “urgent meeting”. However, she would not say what type of action was being contemplated.

Times of Malta is informed that Resources Minister Joe Mizzi would be unable to hold a meeting before the weekend because he was abroad on official business.

“When the government wants to take urgent action, it finds a way to do it. Waiting until the weekend is just not acceptable for us,” Ms Mamo insisted.

Waiting until the weekend is just not acceptable for us

The GRTU said on Tuesday night many fuel station owners that had joined the Enemed franchising reported being contacted by officials of the fuel  distributor/supplier to enquire whether the owners would be taking any actions and whether this could have any repercussions on Enemed. Enemed denied the claims.

The GRTU, which represents petrol station owners, deplored such behaviour.

The government said last week it had made an alternative proposal to fuel station owners. Though no details of the proposals were released by either side, it was flatly rejected by the fuel station owners.

They have been tussling with the government over a plan under which they would have to upgrade their facilities by next year to be in line with new requirements set by the Environment and Resources Authority and the Regulator for Energy and Water Services.

Talks between the GRTU and the government have been dragging on for about four years and operators are expected to refurbish fuel stations by next year at an expense that could be as high as €500,000 per station.

The owners are arguing the government could still meet their demands without having to increase the price of petrol and diesel.

However, the government insists their claims would mean consumers would have to pay more for fuel and notes that, in 2011, the Malta Resources Authority had granted fuel station owners an increase in profit meant to extend to next year.

The owners say the 2011 increase was eaten up by other costs.

The Nationalist Party on Tuesday said the government was obliged to meet with station owners to find a solution.

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