Egypt Petrol Shortage Causes Long Queues

Egypt Petrol Shortage Causes Long Queues
dj
Πεμ, 22 Μαρτίου 2012 - 17:36
Long queues snaked outside empty petrol stations in Cairo and other Egyptian cities on Thursday, as worried motorists waited for new deliveries amid fears of price hikes and longer-term scarcity.
Long queues snaked outside empty petrol stations in Cairo and other Egyptian cities on Thursday, as worried motorists waited for new deliveries amid fears of price hikes and longer-term scarcity.

Industry professionals say the situation has caused fuel prices up on the black market to rise, where some motorists have no choice but to go, amid insufficient public transport alternatives. The queues have also brought more traffic to
Cairo 's notoriously busy streets, sparking incidents of road rage, according to press reports.

"There's no fuel or diesel at all. We wait five hours to fill the car and then we can start working," said taxi driver Rashed Said. "I only found fuel at this petrol station," said Maged, another driver. "This has been the case since yesterday," he said pointing to the long queues.

The fuel sector has been under pressure for months due to a fall in foreign reserves and an increase in the budget deficit, threatening subsidies.

In mid-January, the country suffered a shortage for several days, made worse by rumors of price hikes that sparked a rush on petrol stations.

Διαβάστε ακόμα