Red tape hampers introduction of LPG for cars

MPs asked the interior ministry’s permanent secretary, Nicos Nikolaou, on Tuesday to act as an intermediary between state services to help speed up issuing final approval certificates to petrol stations so that the Customs Department can allow them to acquire liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Nikolaou, who attended the House energy committee, reassured MPs that his ministry would act as a coordinator to speed up the procedures in a bid to spread the use of the fuel.

This move was deemed necessary, as four years after the political decision to allow the introduction of LPG in road transport, and a year after a ministerial decree sanctioning this, there are still no petrol stations providing LPG legally, MPs heard.

For safety reasons, the Customs Department cannot grant petrol companies permission to supply LPG to petrol stations without a final approval certificate.

The permanent secretary of the energy ministry, Stelios Himonas, told MPs that 259 technicians were trained to install LPG systems in cars, while 350 vehicles have already been fitted with the necessary equipment to receive LPG, but that petrol stations are still struggling to get the necessary certificate due to red tape.

MPs heard that of the 330 petrol stations operating, around 200 are without a final approval certificate. Of the 27 applications still pending for a town planning permit, 14 were approved, of which only three were granted a building permit and are awaiting the issue of a final approval certificate, which takes many months, as many states services are involved.

The head of the House energy committee, Angelos Votsis said that the involvement of the interior ministry into the matter, gives hope that the first final approval certificates would be issued sometime in the summer.

Akel MP Costas Costa said that the delay in introducing LPG was “inexcusable”.

“We are the only country in the world that went ahead with the introduction of LPG without anyone being able to acquire the fuel,” Costas said.

He wondered whether the delay was truly due to red tape or “expediencies and interests that hide behind it”.

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