KIEV, March 10 – Ukrainian motorist organizations on Thursday urged Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to stop plans to slap duties on imports of gasoline and diesel fuel, threatening with massive street protests otherwise.

The duties are supported by the energy and coal industry ministry, but the government must decide by March 15 whether the measures will be implemented.

Russian oil major TNK-BP warned last week that it would shut down its Lisichansk Oil Refinery in Ukraine unless the government slaps the duties.