The Nationalist Party has called on the government to immediately reduce petrol and diesel prices by 30c per litre.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, spokesman Ryan Callus said the price of diesel in Malta was the highest among EU states, that of petrol the second highest.

All EU states had reduced their fuel costs following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the exception of Malta, he said.

The price of petrol in Malta, he said, was 25c higher than the European average, that of diesel 21c. Petrol was nearly 60c more costly than in the country where the price was lowest, diesel 45c.

Spokesman Hermann Schiavone said fuel was used by all with a number of commercial sectors needing it for their survival. It was also used by families who were being robbed every time they went to a fuel station to fill up their cars.

Maltese families had also not benefitted from the drop in the international price of oil although thousands had seen a drastic drop in their income.

Spokesman Toni Bezzina said that in spite of the higher fuel costs in Malta, the people did not feel confident using public transport because of a lack of adequate precautions being taken.

He said that although health authority directives were that all users had to wear a mask, the operator issued a circular instructing drivers not to refuse passengers not wearing one.

Moreover, instead of increasing trips, especially during rush hours, for the sake of social distancing, it was in the process of selling 50 buses it had been given by the Maltese government.