Increased traffic was observed at petrol stations on Saturday ahead of the termination of the measure to reduce the special consumption tax from Monday, 1st April.
As Savvas Prokopiou, the President of the Petrol Station Owners Association, stated to CNA during the past few days, there has been greater activity at the petrol stations.
“It’s a matter of psychology. Indeed, there is more traffic at the stations. But if someone goes to the station now, they will only benefit from the 8 cents per litre reduction once,” he said.
He noted that with the removal of the discount on the special consumption tax on fuels from 1st April, the increase amounts to 8.3 cents per litre for motor fuels and 6.4 cents including VAT for heating oil.
He also mentioned that further price hikes are expected from fuel companies in the near future due to the slight increase in oil prices in international markets.
Already, he noted, increases have been imposed in recent days, and another increase of 2 to 3 cents is expected, depending on the increases imposed by each company.
He further stated that prices before the tax reduction were slightly lower, while now they are at slightly higher levels.
He added that the Petrol Station Owners Association had proposed to the relevant Ministry the implementation of a formula, so that if the retail price rises above €1.50 per litre, the state could intervene and temporarily remove the special consumption tax.
He added that with the price increase, the amount collected by the state from VAT also increases, so the removal of the special tax could be offset by this amount.
Meanwhile, Prokopiou expressed the strong dissatisfaction of petrol station owners that the change in fuel prices will take place at midnight on a public holiday, forcing them to come to their stations to make the change.
He pointed out that petrol station owners have only a few days a year to rest, and what is happening practically makes it difficult for them, forcing them to go to their stations at midnight and on public holidays.
He said they had requested the change to take place from 2nd April and at 6 in the morning when they open, as due to the long weekend many will not be able to go to their stations to make the changes.
He added that they also sent a relevant letter to the Director-General of the Ministry of Finance “without response”.
He noted that changes should be made for practical reasons either at 6 in the morning of the previous day or at 6 in the morning of the next day.
He added that from midnight to 6 in the morning, the average station sells 100-150 litres, and the loss for the state from the tax it would lose would not be particularly large.
