Turkey to 'reassess' electricity prices, says Erdoğan

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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced new measures to curb the effects of the increasing electricity prices.

The gradual electricity tariffs will be "reassessed in favor of the citizens" and a similar system will be introduced for businesses, Erdoğan said after a cabinet meeting yesterday (February 16).

Currently, the price of 1 kWh of electricity is 1.37 lira for a total use of 210 kWh in a month. When the electricity use of a household exceeds 210 kWh, the price per kWh rises to 2.06 lira (1 US dollar = 13.60 lira). The average monthly electricity consumption per household in the country is estimated at 230 kWh.

With the price hikes at the start of the year, electricity bills of most households and businesses have more than doubled, which triggered protests across the country.

Places of worship

While the Presidency of Religious Affairs covers the electricity expenses of mosques, churches and synagogues in the country, the Alevis, a religious minority, have to pay the bills for djemevis as they are not recognized as places of worship despite a 2014 ECtHR verdict.

Djemevis are registered as businesses, which means they pay even higher electricity bills.

As a solution, the government will not recognize djemevis as places of worship but change the electricity tariffs of civil society organizations' offices from business to household, the president announced.

Electricity assistance

The number of households receiving electricity assistance will increase from 2.1 million to four million, the president further stated. They will be provided with a 15 billion lira (1.1 billion dollars) support package, he said.

CLICK - Turkey to increase energy assistance as Erdoğan dismisses protests over rising prices

(TP/VK)