Across Egypt, long lines of cars and trucks snake around the corner from gas stations, drivers spend the night in their vehicles waiting for fuel at the pumps, and gas stations attendants complain of receiving only half their usual quantity of fuel - or none at all. Petroleum Minister Abdullah Ghorab flatly dismissed talk of a shortage, saying fuel supplies exceed demand. He said the crisis stems from "mistrust between the government and the citizens," according to the state-run MENA news agency. Another Petroleum ministry official, Hani Dahi, was also quoted by MENA as saying that there is "a rise in the illegal use of fuel" and calling for tighter security measures to prevent black market dealers selling subsidized fuel at higher prices. Days into an increasingly acute fuel shortage, Egyptians are starting to feel the squeeze. Drivers are searching frantically for fuel, only to find gas stations sold out of key grades of gas. The reasons behind the shortage - or even if there is one - are not clear. The government blames any shortfall on profiteers reselling subsidized fuel on the black market. Many Egyptians, however, accuse the authorities of trying to cover up what they say is the government's mismanagement of an ailing economy. However, the manager of one gas station in Fayoum, a city south of Cairo, put the blame squarely on the government's shoulders and its stewardship of the economy. "I used to get a daily supply of 30,000 liters (7,900 gallons) of diesel, now I get 13,000 every three days," said the manager, who asked not to be identified. "Any talk about smuggling is a sheer lie because if there is enough fuel in the market, none would buy from the black market."
