Natural Gas Problem To Be Brought To Parliament

ANKARA, Jan 8 (A.A) - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz and deputies applied to the Parliament Speaker's Office for a parliamentary session on natural gas issue.
In their proposal requesting for a general discussion on natural gas, AK Party deputies said that stoves had started to be used again due to increasing natural gas prices despite millions U.S. dollars of investment in natural gas which was considered ''clean and cheap fuel''.
They said that natural gas was currently sold for at least four-fold of the real prices in Turkey.
Recalling that the Finance Ministry had increased the value added tax rate on natural gas from 8 to 18 percent by considering it ''luxury consumer good'', AK Party deputies proposed the Parliament Speaker's Office to hold a general session to determine real causes and resons of excessive prices increases in natural gas and liquified petroleum gas.
DYP ASKS PARLIAMENT TO INVESTIGATE REASONS FOR HIGH PRICE INCREASES IN NATURAL GAS
The True Path Party (DYP) applied to the Parliament Speaker's Office on Tuesday and requested for opening of a parliamentary investigation to determine reasons for high natural gas price increases.
In its application, DYP said that high price increases had caused consumers to give up using natural gas and air pollution had re-started in big cities.
Noting that people expected solution to the problem from the government, it said that the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry had displayed that it was not aware of its responsibility and authority by holding a meeting with mayors.
''Price of one cubic meter natural gas is increased by sixty thousand Turkish liras more by imposing an eighteen percent value added tax, considering it luxury consumer good. Besides, the government which is not content with this has brought a bill to the Parliament to collect a five thosuand Turkish liras of fuel oil consumption tax from one cubic meter of natural gas. Similar situation is valid also for liquified petroleum gas,'' it said.
Noting that the Parliament should rapidly take up the price policies for natural gas and LPG, DYP requested for opening of a parliamentary investigation to determine reasons for high natural gas and LPG price increases.
YILMAZ SAYS HE WOULD PROPOSE TO COALITION PARTNERS TO REDUCE VAT ON NATURAL GAS
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has said that he would propose to government partners to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on natural gas.
Responding to reporters' question upon his arrival to Parliament, Yilmaz said the present VAT system was defective therefore he would propose to government partners to decrease the VAT on natural gas.
Yilmaz also said that there could be a leaders summit before Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the United States.
DYP SUBMITS PROPOSAL FOR COLLECTION OF ''ZERO VAT'' FROM NATURAL GAS
The True Path Party (DYP) submitted on Tuesday a proposal for collection of ''zero'' value added tax (VAT) and Fuel Oil Consumption Tax (FOCT) from natural gas and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) for three months.
The proposal which was submitted to the Parliament by DYP deputies Ali Riza Gonul, Turhan Guven, Oguz Tezmen and Nevzat Ercan foresees collection of zero VAT and FOCT from delivery and sale of natural gas and LPG for three months as of the date when the law effect.
ANKARA MAYOR GOKCEK SAYS WHILE BOTAS MADE A DECREASE OF 7 PERCENT, THEIR RATE OF DECREASE REACHED 36 PERCENT IN NATURAL GAS
Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek said on Tuesday, ''new price implementations in natural gas is the first step of clamp against the municipalities. While the Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) has made a decrease of 7 percent, rate of decrease reached 36 percent in our 45 percent share in natural gas.''
Responding questions of the A.A correspondent, Gokcek said, ''operation expenditures were decreased from 45 percent to 30 percent. We did not consider this decrease adequate, and have made another 1 percent decrease. We have reduced operation expenditures to 29 percent. However, we had to totally halt natural gas investments. Meanwhile, 18 percent added value tax in natural gas was not decreased.''
Claiming that the real target was to stop municipalities' investments, Gokcek said, ''they have succeeded in achieving their target. At the same time, preparations have been continuing to corner the municipalities.''
LONG LINES IN ANKARA TO BUY NATURAL GAS AT LOWER PRICE
Natural gas started to be sold at a lower price in Ankara on Tuesday afternoon after the recent announcement of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.
EGO General Director Ihsan Fincan told the A.A that they started selling one cubic meter of natural gas for 348,001 TL as of 2.10 p.m. on Tuesday. The old price was 420,678 TL.
People formed long lines in front of natural gas sales points. People said that the new price was still high and they called on officials to bring down the 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on the natural gas which is categorized as an item of luxury.