PCP pushes for fuel price controls

The PCP resubmitted this Thursday a proposal to set maximum fuel prices and cap gas prices for pipeline and bottled gas, urging the PS to change its position and vote in favor.

The PKP’s proposals to control fuel prices and set maximum gas prices have already been submitted to this legislature, but were ultimately rejected by the PS, which has an absolute majority in the Assembly of the Republic.

This time, the party will resubmit them as part of a discussion of the specifics of the proposed state budget for 2023 (OE2023), but “the goal is the same,” communist MP Bruno Diaz told Lusa.

“The goal remains” in view of the growing weight of fuel in the pockets of the Portuguese, he argued, insisting on the need for “control measures and price fixing with different approaches.”

As for bottled gas, which, according to Bruno Diaz, is used by segments of the population “living with lower incomes”, despite the mechanism created by the government to mitigate price increases, “it remains so prohibitive for people that in practice, it is almost didn’t mean anything.”

As far as fuel is concerned, the government has done “not too much and not too little,” argues Bruno Diaz, which is why the PKP proposes to include price controls in the state budget.

In the proposed amendment to the state budget, the PKP assumes that the “freight” component should be eliminated in determining the base price per barrel of oil and that for all fuels the “real price” plus the “unpaid” speculative margin.”

The Communist bench also proposes to “remove the threat” of the abolition of the regulated tariff “in the short term.”

“Thousands of people confirm the importance of this measure with their lives. For many years we alone defended this measure. […]now we need to protect him and his succession,” the deputy stressed.

Until now, the PS has always voted against diplomas, and despite no sign of a change in position, Bruno Dias has challenged: “It is a matter of political will and political responsibility.”

If the panel, led by Eurico Brillante Diaz, again rejects the proposals, he said, it would “tie the government to the options” of the big economic groups.

“This time, will the government have the political courage to confront the economic power of the groups in the energy sector, the oil companies? Will people have an answer to counter these exorbitant prices? Well, the answer now depends on [ao PS] when the Assembly of the Republic asks the question “who votes for?”, he concluded.

The OE2023 proposal was broadly approved two weeks ago with votes for PS, abstentions from individual MPs PAN and Livre, and votes against PSD, Chega, IL, PCP and BE. At this stage, the features of the government proposal are being discussed, and the final global vote is scheduled for November 25th.