Energy Minister: Natural Gas Prices Will Rise By 5 Percent

ANKARA - There will be nearly five percent increase in natural gas prices as of July 1st while electricity prices will remain unchanged, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said on Wednesday.
Replying to questions about recent increase in prices of fuel oil and products, Guler said that increase of gasoline prices in international markets recently had exceeded forty percent. ''At this point, the price increase in Turkey was nearly five percent which is very reasonable while it was more that forty percent in other countries. We are trying to compensate it. We reduce the price if international prices drop.''
Replying to a question, Guler said natural gas prices would rise by nearly five percent on Thursday.
Replying to another question, Guler said, ''there won't be any increase in electricity prices. We have not made an increase in electricity prices for the last twenty months.''
(MS-ULG) 30.06.2004