OREANDA-NEWS. October 22, 2008. Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan does not see grounds for raising retail prices for fuel this week, he stated it at the current meeting of an Expert-Analytical Group on elaboration of the issues with regard to the oil and oil products market functioning and development of the oil-refining industry, the Ministry's press service reported.

At the meeting, the situation was considered on the oil products market, in particular, the reasons of non-observance of settlement "price corridors" for motor fuel, recommended by the Secretariat of the Expert-Analytical Group, by a number of oil traders. As Y. Prodan emphasized, traders have to timely react to changes taking place on the world markets, in particular to dropping prices for oil and oil products.

The meeting participants discussed orders by the State Consumer Standard Committee on introduction of new standards for gasoline and diesel oil, which provide for decrease of the contents of sulfur and benzene hydrocarbons in motor fuel.

At the same time, it was noted, that at the meeting of the Expert-Analytical Group, that took place on August 13, 2008, at the Cabinet and presided by First Vice Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov, proposals were heard from producers about the necessity to postpone operation of the State Consumer Standard Committee's order of May 8, 2008, No. 144.

During the meeting the Minister noted that starting from 2007, prolongation of effect of amendments to national standards on motor fuel continues with reference to inability to immediately carry out works on reconstruction and modernization of oil-refining enterprises. As the minister considers, it is necessary to take measures that would encourage production and realization of high quality oil products in compliance with European standards.

Y. Prodan addressed the State Consumer Standard Committee to strengthen control over fuel quality realized at national filling stations and produced by oil-refining plants of Ukraine.