By Ajith Siriwardana  

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said yesterday that fuel prices had been increased at a time when the fuel prices in the world market was on the decline for the last two weeks and that it was an unreasonable move.  

Former JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake told a news conference that fuel prices were on the decline since the last two weeks due to the travel restrictions imposed in European countries amidst the spread of Omicron Covid-19 variants.  

“Fuel prices were at a higher rate in November. But, it has been on the decline for the last two weeks after the travel restrictions in Europe due to the spread of the Omicron variant. The price of a barrel of fuel was stipulated to decrease to US$ 60 in the coming days. It is unreasonable to increase fuel prices in Sri Lanka in such a situation,” he said.  

Mr. Dissanayake said fuel prices had been increased by an unprecedented margin and prices had not been increased in such big amounts even during  the war and when a barrel of fuel went up at US$ 97 in 2013.  
He said it was discussed to increase fuel prices at the Cabinet meeting on December 14 and added that the prices were not increased as Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa was in the country and it was delayed until he left the country.  

Rathnayake also said people should not accept this fuel price increase and that they would take to the streets against this unreasonable price increase.  

He said some Ministers were now praising the fuel price formula introduced during the previous government and added that it was surprising as the fuel price formula was introduced as per the condition of the IMF.  

“It is surprising for some ministers who were criticising the IMF to praise the fuel price formula introduced by the IMF,” he said. 

• Prices were not increased as Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa was in the country and it was delayed until he left the country
• Fuel prices were on the decline since the last two weeks due to the travel restrictions imposed in European countries
• It was discussed to increase fuel prices at the Cabinet meeting on December 14