Portugal woke up to another rise in fuel prices, and this time, diesel has hit an all-time high. The price increase, which has been a trend throughout the year, led to protests at the country’s refinery in Sines, located in the Setúbal district. These protests, organized through WhatsApp and social media, were still going strong after lunchtime, with no end in sight. You could see cars with Portuguese flags on their bonnets honking their horns, creating a cacophony of discontent. According to the Lusa news agency, demonstrators were also brandishing placards that read “Enough of rising fuel prices” and “families cannot take any more”… It’s clear that the people are fed up!
Fuel prices have been climbing across Europe all year. In Germany, for instance, the Frankfurter Allgemeine reported that fuel prices reached a staggering peak, with petrol surpassing 2.203 euros per liter—an amount last seen in March 2022. But let’s face it, Portugal is among the countries grappling with the highest fuel prices. The fuel-prices website, which monitors fuel costs in 21 European nations, indicated that Portugal ranks 19th for the priciest petrol, trailing only behind France and Denmark. For diesel, Portugal found itself in 20th place out of 27 countries for petrol prices after tax… that’s quite the statistic, right?
As for diesel, Portugal ranked 19th in the EU, with Denmark leading the pack for the most expensive diesel, while Malta holds the title for the cheapest. The Portuguese Minister for Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, held a press conference later in the day, stating that the rising fuel prices align with trends seen across Europe. She drew comparisons with France and noted that Spain is an outlier in this scenario. The minister emphasized that the government isn’t profiting from this fuel crisis and denied any evidence of operators capitalizing on the situation.
She also mentioned that there’s no “rockets and feathers” effect at play—meaning price increases and decreases don’t happen unevenly. The findings suggest that price drops are not passed on to consumers as slowly or less fully as increases, which is consistent with trends in many countries within the European Union and the eurozone.
Furthermore, according to AFP, ministers from Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, and Spain have penned a letter to the Irish finance minister, urging that the situation be discussed at the upcoming meeting of finance ministers in Ireland, scheduled for September 18 and 19. Ireland currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, and it seems this conversation is more urgent than ever…
So, what’s next for the people of Portugal? Will the protests bring about any real change, or will fuel prices continue to rise unchecked? It’s a developing situation, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on it!
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber