BOTAŞ cited rising oil prices and demanded a 9 percent increase in natural gas. Immediately after that, the record rate prices triggered the natural gas. Electricity prices have also increased dramatically with the arrival of hike signals. The price of the 230 kilowatt-hour (kWh) invoice for the minimum living standards of a family of 4, with a 9 percent increase compared to the previous month, was approved by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) on Sunday (30 September) to 137,36 Turkish Liras.
On the other hand, effective from October 1, the price of electricity used in residential units increased by 8 percent, while electricity used in industry and workplace increased by 18 percent. The most recent natural gas on September 1, 2018 hike had come. With the increase in October, natural gas was raised for the third time in 3 months. After three hikes, the electricity and natural gas price for the dwelling increased by 30 percent compared to the end of July. A monthly average 250 TL natural gas bill paying a citizen, now will pay 325 TL. So the new bill will come up with a 75 TL surcharge.
Honorary President of Consumer Rights Aydın Agaoglu, Electricity and natural gas as a basic need, we all use the list of needs. Electricity is announced at the beginning of this month, a 18 percent hike in industry. Now when we look at the electricity bill, there's a big difference between the beginning of the year and now. This is 115 percent. Citizens pay 100 lira a day today, paying 215 lira. No more 18 percent. The difference will increase further after this raise. This difference will rise to 135 percent next month. Especially the industrialist will have an additional difference. This will cause the consumer to be distressed as it will be reflected in the final products. Future rallies will eliminate the chance of the industrialist to compete. The producer has to sell it to the domestic market, and this will be reflected in the cost to the consumer, he said.
Consumers Association President Bülent Çebin said, The increase in natural gas is due to the rise of the dollar. Unfortunately, there is nothing to do here because the natural gas is indexed to dollars. It will either be covered from the state budget or we will pay as citizens. When the state is constantly subsidizing it will also indirectly come out of the citizen's pocket. Between 2016 and 2018, the state did not raise electricity bills for a long time. This turned out to us as a budget deficit, again indirectly out of our pocket. As of October, electricity bills will also be billed gradually. It will be more accurate to make gradual invoicing according to the income of the citizen.
If they are going to raise their salaries every month, let them raise their salaries, Aydın Ağaoğlu said, While the household budget is fixed, what will the public do with the increase of the compulsory expenses? Will he sit in the cold? Then the doctor and the hospital will be paid. Everybody uses electricity, water and natural gas. He lives in the shanty and sitting in the millions of dollars of natural gas. They both get the same price. He pays the same taxes. There's an injustice here. They should be sold by income. This should be corrected. There are four types of taxes on electricity. The most common one is TRT. Support should be given to the export-oriented people in the industry. Producers in the domestic market should be supported. If they do not produce we will have to bring from abroad and this would be a purchase with dollars, he said.