Long queues of vehicles formed at fuel stations and border checkpoints in the South yesterday after the Greek Cypriot administration announced that it would remove the subsidies applied to fuel and electricity and impose an excise tax of 8 cents per litre on fuel, Kibris Postasi reports.
Yesterday, the Greek Customs Office announced that it would tighten its inspections at border checkpoints.
According to Greek Cypriot daily Haravgi, the decision to remove the subsidy at a time when the air temperature has increased and air conditioners have become more widely used, has caused concern and reaction among large swathes of Greek Cypriot society, especially those on low incomes. Those who wanted to buy fuel for their vehicles before the increase came into force, flocked to fuel stations on the Greek Cypriot side, while those trying to enter the TRNC formed long queues at the border checkpoints.
Greek Cypriot Energy Minister Yorgos Papanastasiu told journalists that the decision taken by the Greek Cypriot Council of Ministers would not be reversed and said “the decrease in the price of petroleum products is not an excuse to continue subsidies. If we fill our vehicles today, 8 cents will not save us“.
Yesterday, the Greek Cypriot Customs Office announced that inspections on the transit of commercial goods from the TRNC to South Cyprus at border checkpoints will be tightened.