Tunisia hikes fuel prices for 3rd time this year

TUNIS, Tunisia

 Tunisia raised fuel prices as of Thursday, for the third time this year.

In a statement, the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy said the prices of gasoline and gas (diesel) rose by 5-10%.

The ministry said the fuel price hike was triggered by the turmoil of the crude oil prices in global markets, which exceeded the threshold of $101.

Tunisia is going through a severe economic crisis aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic amid the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine.

The North African nation has also been in the throes of a deep political crisis since President Kais Saied ousted the government, suspended parliament and assumed executive power last year, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup”.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara