PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2021) French President Emmanuel Macron supported on Friday the government's initiative to compensate low-income citizens for rising energy costs.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that those whose salary is less than 2,000 euro ($2,326) per month will receive one-time compensation payments worth 100 euro each to offset the spike. Castex also pledged that France will freeze gas prices til the end of 2022.
Macron called the measures initiated by the government "fair" when speaking at a press conference in Brussels.
"If we want to support the purchasing power of our citizens who have been affected by an increase in prices in different fields, it is better to have a more individual tool than a common one," the French president noted.
Meanwhile, Macron mentioned that it is impossible to lower taxes for fuel.
"I want to draw the attention of those who suggest we should lower fuel taxes. Firstly, it is impossible to manipulate the Value Added Tax, in accordance with European law. Secondly, we are on the middle European level in terms of fuel taxes, but it is much more expensive," Macron said, adding that "nobody says that in two-three months (fuel) prices will go down."
Europe has witnessed a spike in natural gas prices in the past few months, caused by rising energy demand during a post-lockdown economic recovery and limited supply.
