House MPs will hold two extraordinary meetings to vote on the extension of a bill reducing the consumer tax rate for fuel until April.

The extension was meant to be from March 1 until April 30, but the Ministry of Finance – apparently caught up in last month’s presidential elections – only sent the bill to parliament on Tuesday, the last day of February.

And this is despite the fact that the bill was approved by the outgoing Cabinet on February 22.

As a result of the delay, the excise tax on petrol has increased by 7 cents per litre, by 8.3 cents on diesel and by 6.4 cents per litre on gasoline, burdening consumers.

However, on Wednesday, House Finance Committee head Christiana Erotokritou announced on CyBC radio that an extraordinary meeting has been called with the Ministry of Finance.

An extraordinary House plenum session will follow on Thursday to vote on the bill.

[…]