Jordan removes oil subsidy on fuel prices, protests sparked 

(MENAFN) Jordan's Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced that the government has raised fuel prices in order to compensate for the country's growing losses from its fuel bill.

The announcement follows a session by the Council of Ministers held on Tuesday, which paved the way for the removal of subsidy on oil derivatives, increasing the prices of four fuel products.

According to the government, the move to lift subsidies and sell petrol products at cost price would avoid additional financial losses to the Treasury, which estimated the cost of subsidy for 2012 at USD1.12 billion.

The prime minister noted that the decision will not affect any Jordanian family with a total household income less than USD1,411.

He added that the price of a type of fuel used in public transport will grow by 14 percent, whereas kerosene oil, used for household heating, will jump by 28 percent, and cooking gas will surge by 54 percent to USD14 for a gas cylinder from USD9.18.

The price of 90-Ocatne gasoline will rise by 15 percent from USD0.98 a liter to USD1.12 a liter, while diesel and kerosene prices will grow to USD0.97 a liter from USD0.73 a liter.

As the move became effective as of Tuesday's midnight, thousands protested the decision, marching in the capital and other cities across the Kingdom.

Hundreds of activists, including Muslim, leftist and youth opposition groups protested near Gamal Abdul Nasser Intersection, known as Interior Ministry Circle in central Amman, requiring the government to undo its decision to remove subsidy, and chanting "Revolution, revolution, it is a popular revolution".

Several angry protestors blocked the intersection; nevertheless, no clashes with the police occurred.