Several Egyptian governorates witnessed clashes and quarrels between citizens on Tuesday over a limited supply of butane gas cylinders and diesel fuel. In the city of Qusiya in Assiut governorate, two people were wounded in clashes. Residents accused officials of hiding gas cylinders to sell them on the black market. In Samalout, Minya governorate, dozens protested, demanding butane gas cylinders. In Qena, protests halted traffic on one of the city's major roads. In Alexandria, Luxor and Monufiya, cars queued at gas stations due to the short supply of diesel fuel. Meanwhile, the Supply Ministry met with other authorities to study the cabinet decision on applying a voucher system to distribute the cylinders in May. “This system ensures that the subsidized cylinders go to the poor social classes,” said Atef Yacoub, head of the Consumer Protection Authority. “It would also eliminate the black market.” Egypt, which subsidizes fuel, has about a fifth of its 80 million people living on US$2 a day. The cheapest and lowest grade fuel, 80 Octane, is sold for just LE1 (US$0.17) a liter, well below its market value. The budget for energy subsidies by the new government amounts to LE95 billion. However, some demand that energy subsidies be cut, especially as they go to undeserving parties in some cases. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
