VILNIUS — Lithuania’s fuel excise tax, which is blamed for high prices at the petrol station, will not be reduced because it would not have any effect, the finance minister said.

Fuel prices over the last year have only gone up and it is squeezing Lithuanian consumers and forcing the prices of goods up across the board. For a liter of standard petrol, Lithuanians are paying on average more than 4 litai (€1.16). Recently the government has come under [private_supervisor]fire because it doesn’t seem to be making any changes to benefit consumers.

“Today, the excise duty is 15 centai lower than last year at the same time, but diesel fuel is 50 centai more expensive,” finance minister Ingrida Šimonytė told journalists.

Prices are not dependent on the excise tax, but on the price of the wholesale fuel, which is sold in Lithuania at a premium compared to neighboring states.

“The price differences between Lithuania and Estonia is almost 15 centai to Lithuania’s detriment. Consequently, the price is influenced by other factors,” Šimonytė said.

A removal of a 5 percent tax saw prices increase by 10 centai per liter, a problem that the competition council needs to fix, the minister said while ruling out the possibility of a stronger currency.

The competition council has two separate investigations open in the fuel industry. One is into the alleged pricing cartel between Lukoil and Statoil and the other into the alleged price gouging by PKN Orlen in wholesale prices.

Lithuania pays more for fuel, particularly diesel, than other countries in the European Union.

Šimonytė pointed out that fuel is more expensive now than it was before the crisis, but real wages on average are 10 percent less. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]fire because it doesn’t seem to be making any changes to benefit consumers.

“Today, the excise duty is 15 centai lower than last year at the same time, but diesel fuel is 50 centai more expensive,” finance minister Ingrida Šimonytė told journalists.

Prices are not dependent on the excise tax, but on the price of the wholesale fuel, which is sold in Lithuania at a premium compared to neighboring states.

“The price differences between Lithuania and Estonia is almost 15 centai to Lithuania’s detriment. Consequently, the price is influenced by other factors,” Šimonytė said.

A removal of a 5 percent tax saw prices increase by 10 centai per liter, a problem that the competition council needs to fix, the minister said while ruling out the possibility of a stronger currency.

The competition council has two separate investigations open in the fuel industry. One is into the alleged pricing cartel between Lukoil and Statoil and the other into the alleged price gouging by PKN Orlen in wholesale prices.

Lithuania pays more for fuel, particularly diesel, than other countries in the European Union.

Šimonytė pointed out that fuel is more expensive now than it was before the crisis, but real wages on average are 10 percent less. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]fire because it doesn’t seem to be making any changes to benefit consumers.

“Today, the excise duty is 15 centai lower than last year at the same time, but diesel fuel is 50 centai more expensive,” finance minister Ingrida Šimonytė told journalists.

Prices are not dependent on the excise tax, but on the price of the wholesale fuel, which is sold in Lithuania at a premium compared to neighboring states.

“The price differences between Lithuania and Estonia is almost 15 centai to Lithuania’s detriment. Consequently, the price is influenced by other factors,” Šimonytė said.

A removal of a 5 percent tax saw prices increase by 10 centai per liter, a problem that the competition council needs to fix, the minister said while ruling out the possibility of a stronger currency.

The competition council has two separate investigations open in the fuel industry. One is into the alleged pricing cartel between Lukoil and Statoil and the other into the alleged price gouging by PKN Orlen in wholesale prices.

Lithuania pays more for fuel, particularly diesel, than other countries in the European Union.

Šimonytė pointed out that fuel is more expensive now than it was before the crisis, but real wages on average are 10 percent less. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]fire because it doesn’t seem to be making any changes to benefit consumers.

“Today, the excise duty is 15 centai lower than last year at the same time, but diesel fuel is 50 centai more expensive,” finance minister Ingrida Šimonytė told journalists.

Prices are not dependent on the excise tax, but on the price of the wholesale fuel, which is sold in Lithuania at a premium compared to neighboring states.

“The price differences between Lithuania and Estonia is almost 15 centai to Lithuania’s detriment. Consequently, the price is influenced by other factors,” Šimonytė said.

A removal of a 5 percent tax saw prices increase by 10 centai per liter, a problem that the competition council needs to fix, the minister said while ruling out the possibility of a stronger currency.

The competition council has two separate investigations open in the fuel industry. One is into the alleged pricing cartel between Lukoil and Statoil and the other into the alleged price gouging by PKN Orlen in wholesale prices.

Lithuania pays more for fuel, particularly diesel, than other countries in the European Union.

Šimonytė pointed out that fuel is more expensive now than it was before the crisis, but real wages on average are 10 percent less. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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