Finance Minister Slavko Linic said on Monday that a fuel price rise to 12 kuna per litre would be treated by the government as a sign for alarm, while commenting on the latest rise of the upper price limits set by the Economy Ministry earlier in the day.
The upper limits for retail fuel prices will rise between HRK 0.18 and 0.26 per litre, with top-selling Eurosuper petrol fuel costing 10.46 kuna per litre as of Tuesday. The new upper limits for fuel prices will be in place from 21 February to 5 March. Eurodiesel fuel will have the highest price of HRK 9.94, an increase from HRK 9.68. Oil companies and petrol stations may change the prices over the next two weeks but may not exceed the set upper limits.
Linic told reporters in parliament that the government would consider models to offset the fuel price hike but declined to say when exactly this topic would be on the government's agenda.
The government will seriously consider this topic because we see the price of 12 kuna per litre as a sign for alarm, Linic said.
Following announcements of a new increase in fuel prices, the SSSH trade union federation urged the government to lower excise taxes on fuels by 10 percent so as to offset the cost of possible fuel hikes.
This measure should alleviate the upward pressure on other prices, primarily of cargo and passenger transport, which together with the higher Value Added Tax rate of 25 percent will affect people's living standards, the SSSH said.
