Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 28 / Trend M.Moezzi
Iran's government violated the country's targeted subsidies law in 2009/2010 by selling 7.9 billion liters of imported petrol at the subsidy price of 1,000 rials (about 89 cents) , Pana News Agency quoted a member of Iran's Majlis (parliament)Article 90 Commission as saying.
In 2009/2010, the question of selling imported petrol at subsidy prices was discussed among officials from Iran's treasury, oil ministry, supreme audit court and general inspection office, said Seyyed Fazel Mousavi a member of the Majlis' Article 90 commission. Article 61 of Iran's 2009/2010 budget stipulates that only domestically produced petrol be offered as subsidy to the public and the petrol Iran imports should be saved to fulfill demand.
Iran's Supreme Audit Court and General Inspection Office believe the $3.9 billion of petrol imported by the government, about 7.9 billion liters, was a violation of the law and shouldn't have been sold at subsidy prices.
The administration is to respond to the Majlis within 48 hours.
The Iranian government pays each citizen $45 a month as a compensation for a part of its commodities and energy subsides which were cut when the targeted subsidies program began.
The program has paid out nearly $8 billion more in subsidies than it has earned, Fars news earlier cited a member of Iran's Majlis planning and budget commission Moussa Al-reza Servati as saying.
The parliamentary special commission for economic reform has said the government faces nearly a $16 billion deficit from its budget in the current solar year (started on March 20, 2011) to pay out this cash. The commission believes the government has already used oil revenues illegally to pay for the removed subsidies.