Mahlab mulls fuel smart card system application

Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab on Saturday chaired a meeting to follow up ongoing preparations for applying the fuel smart card system.

The ministers of planning, supply, finance, interior and agriculture along with officials of the various stakeholders took part in the meeting.

During the meeting, Mahlab confirmed the government's keenness to tighten control on subsidized gasoline and other petroleum products.

He stressed that the new system would not increase prices or reduce quantities.

The smart cards will contribute to eliminating corruption that makes benefit from smuggling subsidized petroleum products, the prime minister said.

He urged "public participation and support" for the new system.

"This is very important to prevent all forms of corruption in all subsidized commodities and products," he said.

The prime minister said that "achieving social justice in its sustainable comprehensive concept is the main motive to launch the system which will ensure delivering the government subsidy to those who deserve it," said the premier.

As many as 5.3 million smart cards for the new system have been issued, a cabinet spokesman said.

In June, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi ordered the government to study delaying the application of the fuel smart card plan till it includes all sectors of the state.