The Seimas (parliament) of Lithuania, at an emergency session, has met the demands of the protesting farmers and reduced the excise tax on liquefied petroleum gas by more than 23 times, from 304 euros to 13 euros, Report informs referring to TASS.
The decision was supported by 108 parliamentarians, 55 abstained. Nobody voted against it.
“From March 1, the excise tax on liquefied natural gas will be 13 euros per ton,” the Seimas press service reported.
A reduction in excise tax was one of the main demands of the protesters. From January 1, it was increased from zero to 304 euros per ton. After the protests, when more than 1,300 tractors came to Vilnius from all over the country, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte admitted that the increase in excise tax was disproportionate. At an extraordinary session, the government proposed reducing it to 41 euros per ton.
Farmers’ representatives said they were not satisfied with the government’s proposed rate and demanded that the tariff be kept within the same range as in neighboring countries. In Latvia the excise tax rate is zero, in Poland it is 13%.