Azores fuel prices rise on 1 November despite a five-cent tax cut
Azores GuideDiesel goes up 5.5 cents a litre and butane 39.1 cents a kilo in November, even after the Regional Government lowered the tax on petrol and diesel.
From 1 November, unleaded 95 petrol costs €1.934 a litre in the Azores and road diesel €1.994, according to Rádio Atlântida. Petrol is 1 cent dearer than in October and diesel 5.5 cents. The new maximum prices were set in an order published in the Jornal Oficial on 30 October.
The rise follows a decision by the Council of the Azores Government to cut the tax on petroleum and energy products (ISP) by five cents a litre on petrol and diesel. According to Rádio Atlântida, the reference values fall from €590 to €540 per 1,000 litres of petrol and from €400 to €350 per 1,000 litres of diesel.
Butane goes up 39.1 cents a kilo. At the retailer, gas in bottles of 26 litres or more costs €2.199 a kilo and in lightweight 24-litre bottles €2.399 a kilo. Piped butane costs €2.199 a kilo and bulk butane €1.791. Coloured diesel rises 5.5 cents to €1.694 a litre for agriculture and €1.504 for fishing.
It is the third monthly rise in a row. In September and October petrol went up 10.5 cents a litre and diesel 21.7 cents. Compared with January, petrol costs 31.4 cents more per litre in November and diesel 52 cents more. Maximum prices in the Azores change on the 1st of each month in line with the monthly European price.
Two opposition parties accused the government of lying about the tax. The Left Bloc said the finance secretary had told it a month ago that a cut was not legally possible, and asked for specific support for gas, saying the common 13-kilo bottle will cost €5 more. Berto Messias, who leads the PS group in the regional parliament, said the tax already stood at 54 cents on petrol and 35 cents on diesel in October, so there is no real reduction in November.
On 30 September this site reported that the PCP warned of higher electricity and fuel costs from October 1.
Sources
Azores Guide
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