President Yudhoyono postpones Europe trip: spokesman

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has postponed an official visit to Europe amid nationwide protests against a hike in fuel prices by his administration, a spokesman said Monday.

"The president took the decision to postpone his trip to Europe.... He will focus his attention to problems on the economy and the development of the country," presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal told reporters.

The trip had originally been planned for early June, Djalal was quoted by AFP as saying.

Yudhoyono had been due to visit EU member states including Britain, France and Germany.

He has been under fire since the fuel price hike last week, which saw the cost of premium gasoline rise from 4,500 rupiah (49 US cents) to 6,000 rupiah.

Rallies have taken place almost daily across the archipelago. Around 5,000 protesters gathered outside the presidential palace in the heart of Jakarta on Monday despite a strong police presence, police said.

The government says the unpopular fuel price hike is necessary to save the budget from collapsing under the weight of runaway subsidy bills linked to soaring global oil prices. (*) end