Fuel prices will not be reduced in the event international fuel prices drop.
This emerged after this portal asked Prime Minister Joseph Muscat if the current locked prices of fuel and gas would be reduced in the event international prices fell. Dr Muscat was replying to questions following a visit to BOV's head office in Sta Venera where a number of individuals who distinguished themselves in the aviation industry were presented with an award as part of the BOV Aviation Outlook initiative.
Dr Muscat replied saying: "What would happen if international prices rose?", implying that the prices will remain locked whatever the situation due to a hedging agreement the government had engaged in.
Questioned on how exactly businesses will benefit from the new fuel prices when the price of diesel remained the same, since Dr Muscat had said that the new locked prices will see businesses benefit as a result, Dr Muscat said that they would benefit since the prices of fuel are now locked till the end of the year.
Pressed to say once again how businesses will benefit from the new move when most businesses use diesel fuelled vehicles, he reiterated that they would benefit as a result of the locked prices since entrepreneurs have peace of mind that the prices will not rise and can set their budgets from now.
On the missing tanker saga, Dr Muscat said that there are conflicting reports on whether the tanker was berthed at the Grand Harbour, on the timing of the tanker's arrest, among other issues.
“Therefore, this is why I called for an investigation to be conducted and assigned former AFM Brigadier Karm Vassallo to look into the matter and not have separate entities investigate the case."
Dr Muscat said that at this point in time, without throwing a bad light on the media which revealed that the tanker slipped out of Maltese waters, we should leave matters in the good hands of the former AFM commander.
The Prime Minister’s call for an inquiry follows a statement by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi issued today who urged the government to be transparent over the incident.
Asked what the future holds for Air Malta’s employees, Dr Muscat said that this government will definitely not give them the same trouble the previous administration gave employees through the implementation of a number of schemes such as the Voluntary Redundancy Scheme but added that the national carrier has an agreement with the EU it has to respect and that things move ahead as planned.
“We will not look at how we are going to reduce growth but will look at how we can enhance the airline,” he said.
When asked if the airline will be privatised, Dr Muscat replied saying that the government was not looking at privatising Air Malta.
Asked by this portal if he told supporters to convince others to go out and vote in the MEP elections, in the same way former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi had done in the March 2013 election, due to problems the party is foreseeing in terms of Labourites not willing to go out and vote, Dr Muscat replied: "If Labour supporters convince Nationalists as well I would be satisfied too," he said.
When questioned if he is concerned over the fact that 40,000 votes are yet to be collected, Dr Muscat said that the number of votes which have not yet been collected are less than those which were not collected in the same period during the last MEP elections five years ago.