Egypt\\\'s Sisi defends fuel subsidies cut, adds taxes

FE Team | Published: July 08, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

CAIRO : Egyptians gather at a petrol station on July 5 in Cairo as the government drastically raised fuel prices to tackle a bloated subsidy system. — AFP Photo

CAIRO, July 7 (AFP) : Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Sunday defended a government decision to raise fuel prices as the authorities also slapped higher taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, state media reported.
The authorities late Friday decided to slash state subsidies on petrol and diesel, sparking anger among taxi drivers and others affected by the rising costs.
Police arrested two people on Sunday after dispersing a protest by fishermen angered by the fuel price hike in the coastal city of Rosetta, state media reported.
In a meeting with newspaper editors and television channel representatives, Sisi argued that the decision had to be taken because of Egypt's debts, state-run Al-Ahram newspaper reported on its website.
With the economy battered by three years of unrest, successive governments have said subsidies-which made petrol in Egypt among the world's cheapest-must be lifted.