Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche is ruling out further government relief for the time being, despite increased fuel prices. She points to the tight budget situation. “With the fuel price brake, we used a very, very expensive instrument. That cost us many billions of euros. These are currently not available in the federal budget,” said the CDU politician in the “RTL/ntv Frühstart”.
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No shortage
A fuel price cap, as demanded by SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf, would again cost the state billions because “the world market does not react if Germany sets a cap,” said Reiche, according to the broadcaster. The 12 o’clock rule and stricter antitrust law ensured more transparency for customers. “There are currently no further measures in place and are actually not being planned,” said the minister. The supply situation is secure and there are no shortages: “If prices continue to rise significantly, we can talk about measures. But they are not planned now.”
On a nationwide average, prices on July 21st were significantly higher than in previous weeks. According to ADAC, a liter of E10 cost 2.15 euros, diesel came to 2.17 euros. A week earlier it was 2.08 euros per liter of E10 and 2.07 euros per liter of diesel. There was a preliminary low point on June 23rd: E10 cost a nationwide average of 1.82 euros and diesel 1.73 euros per liter.
BSW for capping the price of fuel
Because of the recent sharp rise in fuel prices, Claudia Wittig (BSW) has called on Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Sven Schulze (CDU) to take action. “The Prime Minister should demand a fuel price summit from the federal and state governments in the Chancellery as quickly as possible,” she said. It is a disgrace to leave people out in the rain. Wittig called for the price of fuel to be capped at 1.50 euros per liter. She made no suggestion as to how this could be financed.
In view of persistently high fuel prices, the new FDP chairman Wolfgang Kubicki has also called for the CO₂ tax to be abolished. “This would noticeably relieve the burden on millions of drivers, especially the hard-working middle class who commute to work every day, in these difficult times,” he told the dpa. Kubicki assumed a reduction of up to 17 cents per liter of gasoline. He accused the federal government of inaction. She is helpless in the face of global political developments and has no idea how the situation could be improved. In the long term, the production of domestic oil must be increased, he demanded. Anything else is irresponsible.
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More about the price of gasoline
(mfz)
