Bassil Signs Weekly Fuel Prices after One-Day Delay
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil signed on Thursday the weekly update of fuel prices after companies refused to distribute oil to gas stations thus averting a crisis in the country.
Bassil had decided for the second week to delay the signing of the weekly update for fuel prices by a day.
OTV later reported on Thursday that the oil sector will likely call off its strike after the minister signed the list.
It was scheduled to hold a strike on April 2, 3, and 4 in light of Bassil's failure to approve the new prices.
OTV added that oil companies will start delivering fuel to the gas stations.
The oil sector announced on Tuesday that the strike aims at pressing the government for an increase of LL820 on the overall price of 20 liters of fuel, LL500 of which would be added to the surcharge accumulated by the stations, LL120 to transportation tanks and LL200 to oil companies.
“There was no appointment scheduled to meet with the energy minister… But we hope that we would reach a solution,” Maroun Chammas, the head of the Association of Petroleum Importing Companies told VDL (100.5).
Sources close to Bassil told Ad-Diyar newspaper that the minister refuses adding more financial burdens on the citizen as the new fuel prices included a LL500 increase this week and LL600 next week.
The prices of 95-octane graded fuel are expected to reach LL40,000 as of the beginning of April.
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