Energy firms should ‘transform’

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Turkey should transform its state-run energy companies, including Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) and Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ), into actors capable of playing an active and leading role in the region and in the world, the deputy energy minister said.

“Turkey won’t be able to join the top 10 economies in the world without transforming its top energy companies like TPAO, BOTAŞ, the Turkish Petroleum Distribution Company (TP), and Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), in compliance with Turkey’s economic vision,” Deputy Energy Minister Hasan Murat Mercan said, speaking at the 19th International Natural Gas and Petroleum Congress and Exhibition that began yesterday and will continue until tomorrow.

Political vision alone won’t be enough for the country to reach its ambitious 2023 targets, according to Mercan, stressing that changes in the energy sector is waiting to be turned into law.