Any fuel price measures must comply with EU commitments, says PM

VILNIUS - Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Wednesday the government is considering various options but emphasized they must comply with European Union commitments, as Lithuania moves to release fuel reserves and politicians propose measures to curb rising fuel prices.

"It is good that everyone is active and quick with their proposals. However, the government is working consistently. The first step in our plan was to act so that European measures take effect here and now, as all EU countries have done. I am very pleased that we were able to start with the fastest possible solution," Ruginiene told reporters.

"The Energy Minister is currently working on this issue, which will allow us to have lower fuel prices for some time," Ruginiene added.

The Prime Minister also noted that the Finance Ministry has been tasked with drafting a plan for potential national measures.

"There are various ideas, including excise duties, but we cannot simply pull ideas out of thin air. We must calculate and evaluate everything clearly. We are also constrained by certain European Union rules and have specific commitments that we must align with," Ruginiene said.

Ruginiene emphasised that fuel pricing is currently a priority and that efforts to manage costs will be "continuous."