‘Turkey has surrendered to energy lobbies,’ says CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu

ZONGULDAK - Doğan News Agency

Lack of planning has made Turkey dependent on energy lobbies, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on March 24. 

“Turkey has surrendered to energy lobbies. Western countries do not surrender to energy lobbies but Turkey does. The reason behind this is the fact that there is not adequate planning in Turkey,” said Kılıçdaroğlu, addressing the attendees of his party’s energy workshop in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, known for its pit coal mines.

“The Republic of Turkey is dependent on Russia in the field of energy, almost by 60 percent. Aside from that, Russia has been building a nuclear reactor. When it is completed, Turkey’s dependence rate will rise to 70-80 percent. If we accidentally tangle with Russia, they can turn the natural gas valves off to make us tremble with cold. What does this situation show us? It shows where Turkey has ended up with the wrong energy policies,” he added.

Even though Turkey is the seventh largest coal producer in the world, Turkey has been importing coal, the CHP leader recalled. He pointed out the country had an increasing energy expenditure.

“Our country is the fifth biggest natural gas importer in the world. We spent $27 billion in 2016 for energy and an extra burden of $10 billion was laid on the nation in 2017, bringing the total energy cost to $37 billion. In 2018, the energy bill will be much higher,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“Human life should not be that cheap. If miners working underground die due to an occupational accident, the state should provide benefits to the families without discrimination,” he stressed, pointing to the high rate of deadly occupational accidents and the multifaceted indemnity practices in Turkey.

General Mining Workers’ Union (GMİS) chair Ahmet Demirci and Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey (UCTEA) head Ayhan Yüksel were among the attendees of the workshop.