As the local market seeks to adjust to capital controls imposed yesterday, the government has said the monitoring effort by market officials on the look-out for cases of over-pricing will be intensified.

Although no major violations have been reported to date following an initial round of inspections by national audit officials, price levels at a number of petol stations were slightly increased. In Athens, where the bulk of the country’s petrol stations operate, a growing number of petrol stations seem to be edging up their prices. Indicitavely, only four of more than 200 petrol stations which provided new retail prices to market authorities yesterday reported price levels of less than 1.5 euros for regular unleaded fuel. A large number of petrol stations reported prices of over 1.6 euros per liter.

Price levels at petrol stations in Athens ranged between 1.48 euros and 1.699 euros per liter for regular unleaded fuel. In Thessaloniki, prices for this fuel category ranged between 1.49 euros and 1.67 euros per liter. In tourism-heavy regions such as the Cyclades, price levels ranged between 1.58 euros and 1.789 euros. In Hania, Crete, regular unleaded fuel ranged between 1.592 euros and 1.70 euros.

Also, a number of consumer complaints concerning petrol stations not accepting credit cards prompted an inspection by officials and an ensuing government announcement noting that outlets associated with the ELPE-Hellenic Petroleum refineries (EKO, BP), the Motor Oil refineries (Shell, Avin, Cyclon), and Aegean Oil are accepting both credit and debit cards.