Fuel suppliers ready to strike if reform bill remains with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Maritime Affairs

Petrol station operators have declared a state of unrest and warned that they are prepared to go on strike if the draft bill to reform the fuel sector ‘remains on the Mimit’s back burner’. In a statement, Faib and Fegica say they are “once again forced to denounce the Mimit’s incomprehensible delays in submitting the text of the draft bill to reform the sector – which has been painstakingly drawn up and agreed upon by all operators – to the Council of Ministers for approval”.

“Everyone is in agreement, but there are still those – hiding behind the scenes – who are putting the brakes on, with the aim of scuppering a reform that is not only in the sector’s interests (including oil companies and network operators), but also enables a reorganisation of the network capable of having a structural and significant impact on the retail price of fuel. Especially at a time when, in just a few hours’ time, what remains of the excise duty discount will be scrapped.” They conclude: ‘Enough of the delays and dithering: it is time to produce the text of the agreed draft bill and submit it for consideration first by the Council of Ministers and then by Parliament.’