The number of European Union member states where the price of petrol is less than in Malta has gone up to 18. There are 24 EU member states where the price of diesel is less than in Malta.
This has been confirmed by the European Commission in its Weekly Oil Bulletin indicating consumer prices of petroleum products inclusive of duties and taxes as of Monday, 21st September.
In Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain the price of petrol is less than in Malta.
In Estonia, the price of petrol is €1.055 per litre, which is practically 30 cents lower than Malta’s. In Cyprus, the price of petrol is €1.199 per litre, that is, 15 cents less than Malta.
The only countries where diesel costs more are Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the other 24 EU States, diesel costs less.
In Luxembourg, the price of diesel is €0.972 per litre, that is, 28 cents less than in Malta.
It is clear that Enemed Company Ltd, the state-owned company, has been accumulating excessive profits at the expense of Maltese consumers for the past weeks and months, as a result of its dominant position in the local market.
The importation, storage and sale of petrol and diesel should not be government business, as the former consultant of the present government Michael Falzon had stated.
The Malta Automobile Club expects the government to remove the dominant position of Enemed from the local market given that it has already started to privatize certain sections of the energy sector.
In which EU member state are consumers prevented from purchasing the brand and grade of petrol and diesel of their choice? In which member state are the prices of petrol and diesel exactly the same throughout the whole country? Why are Maltese citizens treated as second-class EU citizens?
Maltese citizens are not benefitting from the lower prices of petroleum products experienced in other countries for several weeks and months.
It is relevant to recall that when Malta was a British colony before Independence, Maltese consumers were free to choose the brand and grade of petrol or diesel they preferred – BP, Esso or Shell.
Whatever the reasons for the Labour government of the mid-1970s during the fuel crisis to nationalize the fuel sector were, those conditions do not exist anymore. It is a disgrace that over the past 40 years, Malta has been lumped with a state monopoly, as well as European Union membership 11 years ago, which have not made any difference!
What is the purpose of the European Commission Representation in Malta? From where do the Officers of the Representation purchase their petrol and diesel? Cannot they see that there is no real liberalization of the fuel market in Malta?
The following is the Table published by the European Commission.
Alfred A. Farrugia
Malta Automobile Club