The car holiday this summer can cost 30 kroner a liter, but Vedum will not cut fuel taxes. Nevertheless, the high fuel prices do not only affect motorists. Several industries have shouted warnings, fearing a landslide of bankruptcies. For shrimp fisherman Iselin Merita Falch (30), it has become a battle for existence. – I think about it every day. FEW CUSTOMERS: There is a long way between the customers in the harbor this rainy Saturday. The fishermen depend on good weather to sell the catch. Photo: Sofie Rettestøl Olaisen / news She does not know how long she can keep the boat at sea. – You know the crowns that roll out, and it is a concern for all of us who do this. Now she hopes the Government can at least ease the taxes on industries that are in danger of succumbing. – Right now, fuel prices are rising every day. If this is to go around, they have to do something about it. COSTS: The shrimp fishermen can not adjust the price of the shrimp, so they are worried that people will now opt out of the luxury item. Photo: Sofie Rettestøl Olaisen / news – Counting on the buttons Shrimp fisherman Harald Stordal Jensen shares the worries of his colleague. – We have many things that are pushing us at the moment, so we really count on the buttons for every trip we go out. Diesel prices are what completely take away the opportunity to go to sea. COUNTING THE BUTTONS: Shrimp fisherman Harald Stordal Jensen says that he, like the other shrimp fishermen in Nordland, now counts on the buttons. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – If you make a toll trip, you do not have a salary that week. This is how fuel prices affect the shrimp fisherman’s economy The shrimp fisherman estimates that he uses 20–30 liters per hour, and the engine runs 24 hours a day. It costs almost NOK 20 per liter and it runs between 1500-3000 liters a week. Shrimp fisherman Harald Stordal Jensen would thus save between 10,000-12,000 a week on a tax cut of around 7-8 kroner, according to himself. In addition, it is critical for shrimp fishermen that the finances of their customers deteriorate. Jensen’s colleague, Gunnar Volland, is worried that customers will opt out of the prawns this summer. – Shrimp is a luxury for many. When people spend more money on electricity and fuel, and the holidays become more expensive, shrimp are the first thing they cut out. – It is noticeable drastically on the resale both from the quay and over the counter. It is in many ways a “perfect storm” for us. No plans for change So far, the Government is sitting still in the boat and awaiting any measures. – There are no changes in the fuel taxes in our tax and duty scheme now. But in the autumn, we will look at tax and duty measures and make a new budget for next year, says Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum to news. WAITING FOR AUTUMN: Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum tells news that they have no plans to make changes in fuel taxes until the autumn. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news According to the Ministry of Finance, the reason is that the economy is generally doing well in the country. Norway is in an economic boom with record low unemployment. The government therefore fears that higher interest rates may be abrupt if they open the money book. This could put more pressure on the economy. Several county leaders have nevertheless been out and shown dissatisfaction with their party leader. Will remove taxes for all Already at the end of March, the FRP came up with a representative proposal to the Storting to remove the CO₂ tax and road use tax on petrol and diesel. Then a liter of petrol will be 8.5 kroner cheaper, and diesel 7 kroner cheaper, according to Frp’s party leader Sylvi Listhaug. IMPATIENT: Sylvi Listhaug met the shrimp fishermen in Bodø, and believes the Government is delaying putting measures in place. Photo: Sofie Rettestøl Olaisen / news – Now we are approaching NOK 30 per liter, it is completely extreme, she says to news. FRP’s proposal is not only meant to help the business community, but everyone. – The Progress Party has proposed to remove all taxes on fuel, because we think it is too expensive. And it hits many industries hard, and ordinary people who depend on the car. Believes the price drops with consumption Per Magnus Nysveen is head of analysis at Rystad Energy, but he does not think it is a good idea to ease the fees for everyone. High fuel prices are helping to lower demand. Which in turn accelerates the green shift, according to Nysveen. – I see this as an analyst, and from an analytical point of view, the most important thing now for the whole world is to reduce the demand for oil and petrol. The most common mechanism for reducing demand is price. SHOULD WAIT: Per Magnus Nysveen, head of analysis at Rystad Energy, believes the Government is doing us a disservice if we cut taxes now. Photo: Jon Skille Amundsen – And the best remedy against high prices is to use the car a little less, he believes. In the long run, this will lead to lower fuel prices, he believes. If the Government stimulates increased consumption by easing taxes, we will postpone the price increase. It will be even more expensive with fuel in the autumn. – If we lower the fees now, the pressure on prices will be all the higher over the summer. Open for special treatment of industry – But do people need to drive a car? – I do not think all car use is necessary. A small percentage may not be absolutely necessary, and it is no more than the world needs for prices to return to a more normal rent. He adds that he is not against tax breaks for people and companies who are hard hit. – I think that one should do some discrimination on the people and companies that are affected and do something about it, instead of reducing the fees equally for all use. – Do not drive a car for fun Sylvi Listhaug is presented with the claim that it can be more expensive in the autumn for fuel if we ease the taxes now for everyone. To that she answers: – If it gets worse in the autumn, we will have to take the VAT as well. – VAT accounts for 25 percent of the bill. We can not sit and watch the money roll into the treasury, while ordinary people become poorer and companies go bankrupt. STANDS UP: The leader of Frp, Sylvi Listhaug, believes the Government must cut taxes now, even if it means more expensive fuel prices in the autumn. She snorts that high prices can be positive for the green shift. – Most people do not drive a car for fun, and this affects those who have the worst finances. I think it’s amazing that someone can say something like that. It is disrespectful to say that this is okay.
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The shrimp fishermen are demanding cuts in fuel taxes – soon they will not be able to afford to go to sea – news Nordland
