CHP leader protests electricity price hike

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on Feb. 9 announced that he would not pay his electricity bills as a protest until the government withdraws recent price hike.

In response, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Group deputy chair Bülent Turan accused Kılıçdaroğlu of provocation.

In a video post on his Twitter account on Feb. 9, Kılıçdaroğlu made a call to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding the increase in electricity consumption bills and asked to reduce the VAT amount taken from electricity bills to 1 percent.

Explaining the urgent measures to be taken on the issue, Kılıçdaroğlu said, “There are two types of taxes on electricity bills: Electricity and natural gas consumption tax of 5 percent, along with 18 percent VAT. If the VAT is taken 1 percent until summer, a citizen will have an advantage of approximately 50 Turkish Liras in each 350 lira bill.”

“We are going through a difficult time. There is an increase in energy prices all over the world. Our state is taking steps to reflect this to our nation as much as possible,” Turan tweeted.

He criticized Kılıçdaroğlu for his move and said a political leader must act responsibly.

Turkey raised electricity prices by 50-100 percent for households and companies as of Jan. 1, and the move drew reaction from households.