This winter is expected to be tougher and colder than ever, with heating oil potentially costing as much as 70% more than last year, while consumers are also struggling with soaring prices for gasoline, diesel and natural gas.
International developments have sent pump prices soaring across Greece. The average price of regular unleaded gasoline climbed to €2.168 per liter on Tuesday, September 15. Filling a 50-liter car tank now costs €108.40, compared with €87.75 last year.
The Cyclades islands currently have the highest average price for regular unleaded gasoline, at €2.385 per liter. In the Dodecanese, the price stands at €2.278 per liter, while in the Ionian Islands it is €2.268 per liter.
With the sale of heating oil set to begin on October 15, industry representatives are warning that prices could be at least 70% higher than last year.
If these projections are confirmed and heating oil reaches €1.90 per liter, filling a tank with 1,000 liters would require consumers to pay €1,900. Last year, the price was €1.128 per liter, while the equivalent 1,000-liter fill cost €1,100.
Emergency meeting at the Maximos Mansion
With industry representatives forecasting further increases in the coming period, an emergency meeting was held Thursday at the Maximos Mansion, the Greek prime minister’s official office and residence, under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The meeting was attended by National Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou to discuss possible measures.
According to reports, it was decided that developments would be closely monitored over the coming days and ahead of the start of heating oil sales on Oct. 15, in order to determine:
- How much the heating oil subsidy will be increased
- How much the income thresholds will be raised so that more people can receive the subsidy
- How much the subsidy will be increased in colder areas, particularly northern Greece, where, according to opinion polls, New Democracy is recording significant losses, and
- Whether the measure subsidizing fuel prices at the pump, which is more costly, will be reinstated.
So far, the only measure considered certain to continue is the subsidy for diesel fuel, while over the longer term the government is considering bringing back the Fuel Pass for unleaded gasoline, as well as a subsidy for electricity if the price per kilowatt-hour exceeds 15 cents.
In any case, any decisions will be made and announced toward the end of September.
