Opposition urges Government to publish hedging contracts

The Opposition said that it expected the government to announce a substantial and immediate drop in petrol and diesel prices during tonight’s Parliamentary debate.

The debate will take place fourteen days after the opposition proposed a motion in Parliament for a debate which should lead to petrol and diesel prices falling immediately and substantially. 

“We expect the hedging contracts the government allegedly agreed to, to be published in the name of ‘transparency’ that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat spoke so highly and frequently about prior to the last general election,” it said.

The Opposition stated that the meeting being held today between the Energy Minister and social partners is only a result of their insistence, and not a personal initiative.

“As a matter of fact, all social partners, except the General Workers’ Union (GWU), have expressed their concern over the high petrol and diesel prices and they have asked the government to significantly reduce prices as soon as possible. Such a reduction would lead to more competitivity for Malta, as well as a lightening of the burden on Maltese and Gozitan families.”

According to the opposition, over a week ago, opposition leader Simon Busuttil and shadow minister for the environment, energy and transport, Marthese Portelli, met with all MCESD social partners -except for GWU, who did not accept the invitation- to explain the Nationalist Party’s position and reasoning behind their belief that the government should reduce petrol and diesel prices substantially and immediately.

“The only price reduction that has taken place was last week’s 4c reduction, and it only occurred following pressure from Busuttil, particularly after his meeting with social partners.”

The opposition insisted that the 4c reduction is by no means enough, given that Maltese families have to pay amonhst the highest prices for petrol and diesel in Europe.

 According to the latest statistics published by the European Commission, Maltese families and business pay the fifth highest petrol prices and the fourth highest diesel prices among EU countries.