Cyprus Consumers Association claims fuel subsidy not fully passed to motorists

The Cypriot Council of Ministers introduced a fuel subsidy of 8.33 cents per litre, effective from April 4 to June 30, 2026, to alleviate rising energy costs. The Cyprus Consumers Association reported that this subsidy was not consistently applied at retail stations. Following monitoring from 9:30 p.m. on April 3 to 10:00 a.m. on April 4, the Association identified that 19 stations failed to reduce prices by 8:00 a.m., while 97 stations applied a reduction smaller than the mandated amount. Conversely, 67 stations reduced prices by more than the specified rate. The Association criticized the Consumer Protection Service for claiming the transition was smooth, rejecting the Service's explanation that rising fuel prices offset the subsidy. Data indicated that the average nationwide reduction was 7.6 cents for unleaded 95 and 7.4 cents for diesel, falling short of the 8.33-cent target.