Enemalta announced last Monday that in view of the increases in the international price of oil over the past months, the new prices for fuel have been changed as follows:

Unleaded petrol from 36c3 to 38c6 per litre

LRP from 39c3 to 41c6 per litre

EN590 Diesel from 29c0 to 31c5 per litre

Kerosene from 13c4 to 15c1 per litre

The rise in the dollar has benefited Malta as it pays for oil in dollars, whereas had Malta to pay for fuel in euros, it would have to pay more. The US dollar has strengthened by around three per cent over the past three months.

Of course, this UKIP argument in favour of retaining the Sterling applies more to the UK but does not apply so much to the Maltese lira.

The fuel price levels are adjusted according to PLATTS, the price of processed fuel, which is not the same as the price for Brent Crude Oil which is the oil price mentioned in news bulletins. Any rise in Brent Crude prices is usually followed by rise in PLATTS after a short delay.

The increase in the price of diesel had been planned before as part of a long-term readjustment of the previously too-low price of diesel. Owners of petrol driven cars should not be expected to pay more to keep diesel prices low, sources said.