Shadow minister for energy Marthese Portelli said today that although the government started to give into the Opposition’s pressure and reduce the fuel prices, it should reduce them further.

Speaking during a news conference at the PN headquarters, she said that over the weekend the government panicked and reduced the prices by 0.4c.

Airing a clip of a statement made by Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, she said that he tried to pin the blame on the dollar and euro exchange rate, when he said that the euro is not as strong against the dollar.

But Dr Portelli said that it is not only Malta which uses the euro but other countries also and that Dr Mizzi’s statement makes one realise that the government engaged in a hedging agreement at the wrong time when the euro is weak against the dollar.

She insisted that if the government remains silent on the motion filed by the PN to debate the fuel prices, it would then hold the debate in parliament on Thursday.

Asked by this newsroom on whether she agreed with the fact that had the prices of oil shot up instead of down, then the agreement would have served its purpose and secured a stable price, she replied that the truth is that it is only the Maltese government in the whole of Europe that did not take note of what was happening it seems, referring to the crude oil price scenario.

Other Prime Ministers, she added, were well aware of what’s happening and if they hedged they did so securing a better price and not entered in a long-term hedging agreement as this government did.