Liquid gas market normalizes after cash register installation

TIRANA, March 15 – After two months of problems with the distribution of liquid gas, the situation has normalized following the installation of cash registers even by the Petrolifera oil and gas terminal in Vlora, southern Albania.
The suspension of liquid gas distribution by Petrolifera, the biggest terminal in southern Albania, last February reduced oil supply and further increased gas prices following the company’s refusal to install cash registers because of only serving as a storage site.
However, local media report the situation has been unblocked following a government decision authorizing Petrolifera to install cash registers and regulating procedures that big companies and customs storage sites should follow.
Last January, liquid gas companies operating in Albania strongly opposed a Finance Ministry decision which obliged them to install new costly cash registers measuring gas in litres and not kg as they currently do. However, the Tax Directorate dismissed the operators’ claims saying that the new cash register system would measure the real turnover and examine the amount and quality of gas which traders are not willing to do.
Gas prices in Albania have registered significant increases during the past two months following rising prices in international markets, the depreciation of lek against the US dollar and the difficulties in customs clearance in ports.
Prices of liquid gas, which is used as a cheaper alternative to cooking and heating, continued increasing even in December with prices up by another 9.8 percent compared to last November. Currently gas prices are at 90 lek/litre.
Hundreds of retail operators sell liquid gas bottled in 10-15 kg cylinders even in unlicensed highly inhabited areas.