The state can intervene in the oil products market only by competitive mechanisms. The current mechanism by which the National Agency for Energy Regulation caps the oil prices cannot solve the problem, considers expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Victor Parlicov, ex-director of the energy regulator.
Asked by IPN to comment on the fourth consecutive rise in oil price ceilings, Victor Parlicov said the state does not appropriately intervene in the market. “The prices based on which the Agency does the calculations are not public information and cannot be checked. The problem of credibility of oil prices cannot be solved by capping. All the attempts to substitute the competitive mechanisms by all kinds of administrative props are doomed to failure,” he stated.
The retail fuel price ceilings are set by the National Agency for Energy Regulation every two weeks and this week they were increased the fourth consecutive time. Starting with January 11, a liter of diesel fuel can be sold for at most 15.61 lei, while of gasoline Premium 95 for at most 17.99 lei. Last November the ceilings were 13.86 lei and 15.98 lei respectively.
