Yesterday in Kazakhstan, in the city of Aktau, where rallies have been held since January 2 due to the increase in gas prices, a government commission to resolve the situation started working. The president of the republic, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, announced this on Twitter.
Since January 1 in Kazakhstan, prices for liquefied gas automobiles have increased from 60 to 120 tenge ($ 0.27 or 0.46 manat) per liter. The next day, residents of Aktau and Zhanaozen protested against rising prices and blocked roads.
Similar rallies were held throughout the region, including in Kuryk, Akshukur and other settlements in the region.
President Tokayev on Twitter urged citizens to abide by the law on peaceful assembly. He also instructed the government to urgently consider the situation in the region “taking into account economic feasibility and in the legal field.”
Energy Minister Magzum Mirzagaliyev said about possible price speculations among gas stations in the Mangystau region.
According to the minister, the monthly demand of the Mangistau region for liquefied petroleum gas is 18 thousand tons. It is covered by the Zhanaozen KazGPZ LLP and Atyrau Oil Refinery LLP. At the same time, 70-90% of vehicles use gas as fuel. Such data Magzum Mirzagaliyev announced on January 3 at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.
“Taking into account the costs of logistics, the cost of gas for gas stations in the Mangistau region was within 80 tenge per liter,” the minister emphasized.
“After analyzing the data of the wholesale trade in January, we observe that the retail price has formed at the level of 120 thousand tenge per ton, which, in our opinion, is also higher than expected. This gives us reason to assume about possible price speculations among the filling stations,” the minister explained.
Note that on November 25, 2021, the head of the Mangistau region, Nurlan Nogayev, said that according to statistics, the average salary in the region is 350 thousand tenge ($ 805 or 1,368 manats).
By the evening of January 4, the Government Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan met with activists who had gathered at Yntymak Square in the city of Aktau. At the meeting, the decisions made in the course of negotiations with the Aktau initiative group were announced, namely, on reducing the cost of liquefied gas and setting the price at 50 tenge ($ 0.11) per liter in the Mangystau region within the framework of the social responsibility of JSC NC Kazmunaigas.
Also, guarantees were given not to prosecute persons who were on the square. The parties also agreed to resolve all emerging issues in the mainstream of a constructive dialogue and within the framework of the current legislation.
However, strange as it may seem, after that, late in the evening, the conflict began between the protesters and law enforcement agencies. A particularly tough confrontation was observed in the city of Almaty. The protesters smashed and overturned several police vehicles. Late in the evening, the President of the country announced the introduction of a state of emergency in the Mangistau region and in the city of Almaty until January 19, 2022.
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