Turkey’s Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ) on Thursday night announced that the price of natural gas would be increased by 15 percent for industrial sites and power stations, the Diken news website reported.
The rate at which BOTAŞ sells natural gas to industrial sites rose to TL 2,050 per 1,000 cubic meters with a 15 percent increase, while the rate applicable to power stations was increased by 15 percent to TL 2,369 for September.
The move came after an increase of 15 percent was applied to electricity prices and 12 percent to natural gas prices for residences in July. Electricity prices have increased by 122 percent in the last 42 months.
BOTAŞ did not change the price of natural gas for residences — TL 1,488 per 1,000 cubic meters.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu slammed the hikes on social media, arguing that the next move would be to increase the rate for domestic users.
“Got my eyes on you! Don’t even think of raising electricity or natural gas prices for domestic users!” he said, addressing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“We have given you time. ‘Go talk to the electricity companies and announce a support package for 64 million people for this winter,’ we said. Your supporters’ companies that make money off the Treasury should earn less in profit and stop exploiting the people,” Kılıçdaroğlu tweeted.
Opposition parties accuse the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of favoring big corporations over ordinary citizens.
The Turkish economy depends mostly on imports for energy, and increased energy prices due to rising inflation and depreciation of Turkish lira against the US dollar introduces an additional burden on the country’s poorly performing economy.
Turkey, which has little oil or gas, is dependent on imports from Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran as well as LNG imports from Qatar, the United States, Nigeria and Algeria.