Partit Demokratiku today renewed its call for the urgent implementation of the review of the Fuel Station Policy, which it introduced onto the national agenda towards the end of 2017 by putting it on the radar of the Environment and Development Committee. This call comes in the wake of applications for permits for two more fuel stations, whose status is set to be decided today by the Planning Authority. It is crucial that both be rejected and that this rejection is followed up with the long promised reforms.

"As serious discussions begin on introducing electric cars in Gozo and in the country in general, Partit Demokratiku also wishes to remind the public that the country already has more fuel stations than it actually needs. In ten years we will need much less fuel due to electric cars. In just over 7 years the car industry aims to increase the production of electric cars. It is destructive, dishonest and selfish to build these fuel stations which are clearly rural goldmines for other commercial activities. That they are fuel stations is merely an excuse," says MEP candidate Camilla Appelgren.

"€ 100 million annually for 7 years is to be spent on road projects and it is stated that Malta will reduce emissions by 13% as a result of road widening. Why then do we need more fuel stations? We will use less fuel by at least 10% ones this is all finalised, as traffic congestion is said to be reduced and hence cars will burn less fuel. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand doing” stated MEP candidate Martin Cauchi Inglott. The puzzle is that these contradictions arise from the same Ministry.

"Assuming that each fuel station has 9 pumps, and each pump is used 3 times per hour for 12 hours during night and the other 12 hours they are used 6 times, and that number is multiplied by 7 days per week for 80 fuel stations equals the sum of a capacity for a fleet of 544k cars. This is well above Malta’s present needs, more so noting that big trucks and public transport often refuel privately. This must be considered with respect to the phasing in of electric cars," MEP candidate Anthony Buttigieg claims.

Partit Demokratiku said it was the first to fight for the reform of the Fuel Station Policy in Parliament in December 2017, and it hopes that this chapter may soon finally be closed, for it is clear that the government is intentionally stalling on the implementation of the policy. PD has persistently pointed this.

It is time that Malta and Gozo pursued a sustainable green economy, rather than the continued prostitution of the country to the rich at the expense of public interest.