Tunisians block roads in response to new gas price hikes
Tunisian car owners and truckers are blocking major roads in the country in protest of the government's decision to increase gas prices a sixth time, tightening the noose around Tunisia's working class.
TUNIS, Tunisia — The Tunisian government decided March 30 to increase fuel prices in an effort to reduce the budget deficit and meet harsh economic reforms requested by international lenders.
The country’s Ministry of Industry and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises issued a statement announcing that unleaded gasoline prices will increase by 0.08 dinar ($0.027), putting the price of one liter at 2.065 dinars, which is equivalent to $0.68. The new price of one liter of diesel fuel stands at 1.57 dinars ($0.58), an increase of 0.09 dinar ($0.030).
According to the statement, the Ministry of Industry justified this new price hike — the sixth of its kind since 2017 — with the continuous rise in oil prices and derivatives globally, as the price of crude oil exceeded the threshold of $68 a barrel in late 2018.
In this context, Tunisian farmers held a protest April 10 before parliament and another before the Ministry of Agriculture to demand an increase in the prices of agricultural products such as cereals, milk, poultry, tomatoes and potatoes. The protest, which was called for April 6 by the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fishing (UTAP), also called for alleviating fuel price increase repercussions on the capabilities and potential of farmers.
