While many countries in the region have taken concrete decisions to protect citizens from rising fuel prices, in Albania the government continues to take measures only with rhetoric.
This was also demonstrated by the meeting held today between Prime Minister Edi Rama and several government representatives with the main oil suppliers in the country, who repeated the same statement that, despite the significant increase in prices in international markets, in Albania this increase has been more contained.
Instead of the meeting being to announce concrete measures, the prime minister limited himself to warning company representatives that if they do not keep their profit margins low, the government will reinstate the Transparency Board.
"We have not seen fit to take the step and go on board, because if the dialogue works as it has, our goal is to force you into your work. But we must agree that the crisis in the Middle East should not be projected entirely onto the shoulders of consumers. This means lower profit margins for you, but better lower margins than the board on your back," he said.
However, leaving the market functioning only at the level of dialogue with companies without concrete measures serves the next propaganda, since in reality nothing changes at gas stations. The warning that, if they abuse prices, the Transparency Board will be restored, also does not bring any relief to citizens, since its previous functioning has shown that this board was not only composed of company representatives, but the prices were expensive.
Responding to the request of Konfindustria, which proposed that VAT on the increased price of fuel be returned to consumers, Rama said that only pensioners and no other category would benefit.
"I want to remind you that there is only one category that will receive more, whenever the opportunity arises, whether from economic growth above forecast, or from increased income as a result of situations of this nature, and this category is that of pensioners. No one else can ask for more from the state budget than they are entitled to, regardless of the situations," he said.
So, put simply, the government has no intention of helping citizens even when it benefits more from them due to the current situation.
The situation will be the same with fuel taxes, which will not be affected to help consumers. Although we are at a moment where urgent intervention is required, for the Minister of Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, the concern is the environment, who said that the main goal is to reduce pollution and that those who pollute the most will continue to be taxed more.
