Mugoša: Fuel prices could be 10 to 12 cents lower

The government, in accordance with the law, has the option to temporarily further reduce excise duties on diesel and unleaded gasoline, which would reduce fuel prices by at least ten to 12 cents, announced the president of the European Union MEPs' club, Boris Mugoša.

"According to the provisions of the existing law, which were adopted a few years ago at the proposal of European Union deputies, the government can temporarily reduce excise duties on diesel and unleaded gasoline by up to 50 percent, or 26 cents on diesel and 32 cents on unleaded," Mugoša said in a statement.

He reminded that the Government has currently reduced excise duties by 30 percent from the allowed 50 percent, or 16 cents on diesel and 20 cents on gasoline.

"The government, in accordance with the law, could have reduced excise duties on diesel and unleaded by another 20 percent, which would have reduced the new price of diesel by ten cents and gasoline by 12 cents. Diesel would then cost 1,8 euros and gasoline 1,64, or 1,6 euros," Mugoša said.

The fact is, according to him, that fuel prices in Montenegro are among the highest in the region.

Mugoša reminded that the price of a liter of diesel in Montenegro is 56 cents or 40 percent higher today than it was six months ago.

"The state earns an additional 9,5 cents from that difference based on VAT. We have proposed three measures to the Government to further reduce the price of fuel, but unfortunately none of them have been accepted so far," said Mugoša.