Will the Jordanian government raise fuel prices in October? Petroleum products expert Hashem Aqel predicted on Monday that PM Omar Razzaz’s government will indeed increase fuel prices next month.

Aqel, who is Secretary of the Association of Petrol Station Owners, told Roya that “the price of crude oil has jumped from about $76 a barrell at the beginning of September 2018 to highs of $80.32 today.”

The expert predicted that the gov’t will raise fuel prices by 5% or 6% due to the rise in crude oil prices worldwide.

According to Aqel, Jordanians will have to fork out more money on their electricity bill too, as he predicts an increase in energy tariffs next month as well.

Raising fuel and electricity prices could open the door to renewed public protests, similar to those that took place several months ago when former PM Hani Al Mulki’s government increased energy prices immediately after proposing the contested Income Tax Bill (ITB).