Eight European countries increased their price of petrol over last week. Seven increased the price of diesel, the Labour Party said, quoting official Commission figures

These countries included Luxembourg, Poland and Sweden, three countries Opposition leader Simon Busuttil compared with Malta.

The Labour Party noted that, according to the Commission, there was no EU country in which consumers were paying the prices the Nationalist Party was saying the Maltese should pay - 97c for petrol and 94c for diesel.

It said only Bulgaria which had fuel prices for less than one euro, contrary to claims by the PN that this was the case in Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

It added that in the two years, the Labour government cut water and electricity tariffs. It also reduced the price of petrol six times and that of diesel four times.

Consistent lowering of tariffs would be the policy this government would continue to follow in future, the PL said.