Dialogue to begin after end of fuel strike in Cyprus

 Petrol station owners terminated on Thursday their strike, reopening their stations after two days of inconvenience to the public.

Their strike came after a decree issued by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, defining maximum retail prices for 95 octane petrol, 98 octane and diesel. Petrol station owners responded with an eight-day strike, saying that the decree should be addressed to the wholesale prices imposed by the petrol importing companies.

In statements after consultations at the Ministry of Commerce with the station owners and the petrol companies, both Minister Antonis Paschalides and President of the Petrol Owners Association Stephanos Stephanou expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the public, noting the stations will begin immediately supplying fuel at prices defined by the decree.

In his statements, Stephanou said the petrol station owners realized the inconvenience caused to the consumers and decided to reopen their stations immediately.

''All sides have shown understanding for the benefit of the consumers and of the economy in general,'' he added.

In his statements, Paschalides praised the ''responsible action'' by the station owners, noting that ''today an important battle for the consumers was won.''

He announced that a dialogue will begin next week to address the ''serious issues and problems in the Cypriot fuel supply chain.''

Paschalides said that the Ministry will examine the new fuel prices and will issue a press release which would ''perhaps change the ceiling'' imposed on the prices last Monday.

He also said that the Ministry starts the procedure for a new bill which would enable the Ministry to set maximum wholesale prices.

“This I believe will solve problems to the benefit of the consumer,'' he concluded.