Hundreds of thousands of households will be left without heating this winter; they will be left in the cold and in despair. The new outrageous increase in the price of heating oil, is leading to the complete inability of these households to afford the heating oil necessary against the cold during the winter. It is no coincidence that the distribution of heating oil by the oil companies began with a decrease of 60% in the volumes of oil ordered for this year’s winter season.

The coalition government of Nea Dimokratia – PASOK – Dimokratiki Aristera, is responsible for this crime. The fact is that two thirds of Greek households use heating oil while the annual cost for heating of each household will be between 1500€ and 7000€ (in the Northern highland regions).

An old folk proverb says “Charity covers a multitude of sins”which are exactly what welfare payments for heating oil are. Governmental handouts. That, also, goes for the offerings of capitalists, who call their handouts –e.g. giving 360 unemployed people “free heating oil”- “social solidarity”.

The coalition government, like previous governments, is using the need to fight oil-smuggling as a pretext to escalate taxation of the common family. The measure of equating the excise duty of heating oil with that of diesel fuel is another burden for the workers and will not in any way stop fraud, smuggling and tax evasion.

Who is responsible for this crime? The multinational groups and their state, in all the Member States of the EU. Taxation in Greece exceeds 60% of the price of petrol per liter and 40% of the price of heating oil per liter, while the profits of the two groups that control the market (ELPE-Greek Oil who controls about 70% of the market and Motor Oil who controls 30 % of the market) are very high. The fuel cartel is currently imposing high prices.

The government knows better than anyone that its policy in the energy sector and the increase in prices of heating oil aim to ensure the profitability and competitiveness of those monopolies, it is an effort to manage their rivalry.

If the their true aim was to fight against smuggling there are currently technical means (such as an input-output system) as well as organizational measures that can enable the effective control of ship owners’ fuel, at the warehouses of the groups, at the export ports to the EU.

Under these circumstances, wishful thinking and “pleas to the elements of nature” for a milder winter with less cold, , the refusal of the landlords to pay their share or their aspiration to be freed of the central heating system, the hunt for “alternative” ways of heating such as gas heaters, electrical heaters, air conditioners, woodstoves, convector heaters, blankets… do not solve the problem. Heating oil can be substituted but a total substitution requires a change of expensive equipment while the prices of energy commodities are related. When the price of oil raises the price of other products increase as well (e.g. gas).

No worker should accept this situation.

No saviours or “philanthropists” can offer solutions. The trade unions in the energy industry, the gas station owners’ organizations, the self-employed in the heating industry, in coordination with the people’s committees must take an initiative for a wide struggle and demand immediate:

Abolition of excise duty and VAT on fuel for the popular families and the poor farmers.

Elimination of the current tax-exempt status for ship-owners’ fuel.

Battle against smuggling through technical and organizational measures focusing on the oil refineries, wholesale marketing, the ship-owners’ fuel and exports.

Increase of tax on the profits of the monopolies and big businesses in the oil industry.

No school, hospital nursing home, kindergarten or family should be left without heating or electricity, without all necessities and this is a matter of the solidarity and organized struggle of the labour – peoples’ movement.

With our struggle, NOW, we can block their attack and counterattack with the slogan No sacrifice for the Plutocracy.

Secretariat of PAME in the Energy Sector