He added: “Today, after the price of a barrel of oil fell to around $73, the price of a ton of diesel is still approximately $1,028, while the prices of fuel and commodities remain high as if nothing has changed. When oil prices rose under the pretext of tension in the Strait of Hormuz, companies rushed to raise the prices of petroleum derivatives, so the cost of transportation and production and the prices of all commodities rose. Today, after that crisis has subsided and oil prices have declined globally, why did prices not decrease? And who is holding accountable? The monopolists? Where is the role of the government, its ministries and its regulatory agencies?
He continued: “The government’s role should not be limited to collecting taxes, while the citizen pays the price twice: once when he buys fuel, and once when he buys basic goods. The state collects more than 530,000 Lebanese pounds in taxes and fees on every tank of gasoline, while it stands unable to protect citizens from monopoly and unfair pricing. A loaf of bread is directly affected by energy prices, because diesel and gasoline are used in operating ovens and transporting flour. And bread to various regions. Any delay in correcting fuel prices directly reflects on the cost of production and threatens the food security of citizens.”
