The Izmir Platform of the Confederation of Public Employees Unions protested against the high inflation rate in Turkey and burnt their payslips to highlight the financial difficulties caused by the price of electricity, natural gas, fuel, transport and food. Pacific Press
The Izmir Platform of the Confederation of Public Employees Unions protested against the high inflation rate in Turkey and burnt their payslips to highlight the financial difficulties caused by the price of electricity, natural gas, fuel, transport and food. Pacific Press
The Izmir Platform of the Confederation of Public Employees Unions protested against the high inflation rate in Turkey and burnt their payslips to highlight the financial difficulties caused by the price of electricity, natural gas, fuel, transport and food. Pacific Press
The Izmir Platform of the Confederation of Public Employees Unions protested against the high inflation rate in Turkey and burnt their payslips to highlight the financial difficulties caused by the pr

Turkey electricity crisis brings thousands on to the streets


Andrew Wilks
  • English
  • Arabic

Thousands of people took to the streets of cities across Turkey in recent days to protest against electricity prices that shot up by as much as 125 per cent at the start of the year.

From the Mediterranean resorts of Fethiye and Marmaris to Agri on the mountainous eastern border, people rebelled against crippling bills that were raised in January.

Under the nationwide changes, electricity companies boosted prices by 50 per cent for low-level users, rising to 125 per cent for large-scale business consumers.

In the southern city of Mardin, police used tear gas and arrested several protesters on Sunday after the crowd called for the resignation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chanted against the region’s electricity supplier.

“These electricity price increases are the latest blow for us after inflation that has left us unable to feed ourselves properly,” said Rifat Gencay, a jobless 39-year-old from Istanbul’s Atasehir neighbourhood.

“Some people are being forced to choose between buying food or paying their gas and electricity bills, they don’t have enough money for both.”

Housewife Esra Yuksel, 45, said her family had lowered the heating and wore extra clothing at home to keep bills down. “I still don’t know if we will be able to pay the bills next month,” she said.

  • People sit in a snow-covered park with the Blue Mosque in the background in Istanbul after a massive cold front and snowstorms hit much of Turkey and Greece. AP
    People sit in a snow-covered park with the Blue Mosque in the background in Istanbul after a massive cold front and snowstorms hit much of Turkey and Greece. AP
  • People stand near the Golden Horn in Istanbul. AP
    People stand near the Golden Horn in Istanbul. AP
  • Rescue crews in Istanbul and Athens on Tuesday cleared roads that had come to a standstill after the snowstorms. AP
    Rescue crews in Istanbul and Athens on Tuesday cleared roads that had come to a standstill after the snowstorms. AP
  • People walk over the Golden Horn with Suleymaniye Mosque in the background in Istanbul. AP
    People walk over the Golden Horn with Suleymaniye Mosque in the background in Istanbul. AP
  • Galata Tower and the Golden Horn during heavy snowfall in Istanbul. Reuters
    Galata Tower and the Golden Horn during heavy snowfall in Istanbul. Reuters
  • Commuters wait for a tram in Istanbul, where roads were blocked and flights and intercity transport cancelled due to snow. AFP
    Commuters wait for a tram in Istanbul, where roads were blocked and flights and intercity transport cancelled due to snow. AFP
  • A vendor pulls his cart in the Eminonu district of Istanbul after a snowstorm. AFP
    A vendor pulls his cart in the Eminonu district of Istanbul after a snowstorm. AFP
  • Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport, where flights were cancelled due to a blizzard. AFP
    Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport, where flights were cancelled due to a blizzard. AFP
  • Europe's busiest airport in Istanbul delayed its reopening and Greece declared a public holiday as the Mediterranean neighbours began digging themselves out following a rare snowstorm. AFP
    Europe's busiest airport in Istanbul delayed its reopening and Greece declared a public holiday as the Mediterranean neighbours began digging themselves out following a rare snowstorm. AFP
  • Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport following heavy snowfall. AFP
    Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport following heavy snowfall. AFP
  • Passengers wait in Istanbul Airport on January 25, 2022, after flights were cancelled due to a blizzard. AFP
    Passengers wait in Istanbul Airport on January 25, 2022, after flights were cancelled due to a blizzard. AFP
  • Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport. AFP
    Stranded passengers wait at Istanbul Airport. AFP

Turkey’s economic crisis led to the official rate of inflation hitting nearly 49 per cent in January, up from 36 per cent the previous month.

Independent economists, however, put the annual rate at more than 115 per cent, a figure many shoppers facing daily price rises believe to be more accurate.

Many increases are caused by the fall of the Turkish lira, which lost 44 per cent of its value against the dollar last year in Turkey’s import-reliant economy. However, the government’s refusal to raise interest rates – the usual method of tackling inflation – has also fuelled the dilemma.

These electricity price increases are the latest blow for us after inflation that has left us unable to feed ourselves properly
Rifat Gencay,
resident of Istanbul

Crowds that gathered at the weekend called for the energy price increases – natural gas also went up 25 per cent – to be reversed and for the renationalisation of Turkey’s jigsaw of power companies.

“We don’t want to pay the price for the economic and political instability in our country,” protesters in the western city of Mugla said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) applied to the courts for the increases to be suspended.

Cemil Kocatepe, chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Electrical Engineers, described the increase as one that “shocks us all” and said electricity customers were “being robbed”.

He blamed privatisation for creating a system that “produces and will continue to produce [price] increases”.

“The most important reason for today’s hikes is the energy, production and sales system established by the AKP,” Mr Kocatepe said, referring to Mr Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party. “In the coming months, we are afraid that this system will bring a raise again.”

Businesses that are shouldering the higher price increase are also calling for changes and say they could be forced to close.

Shopkeepers in Istanbul have taken to posting their monthly electricity bills in their windows as a display of their desperate situation.

A seller and client in a gold shop next to a currency exchange at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey. AP
A seller and client in a gold shop next to a currency exchange at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey. AP

“A special tariff should be applied to tradesmen,” said Bendevi Palandoken, chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen.

“Unfortunately, increasing the level to 210 kilowatts in the gradual tariff did not benefit our tradesmen, since our tradesmen consume at least 800 kilowatts of electricity.”

He was referring to Mr Erdogan’s announcement last week that the upper limit of the 50 per cent increase would be raised from 150 kilowatts to 210 kilowatts of monthly use.

Mr Erdogan said the new tariffs were introduced to “ensure sustainability in energy markets”. Meanwhile, his spokesman Ibrahim Kalin on Sunday promised changes to ease customers' burdens.

“A new regulation on electricity bills will come very soon. Improvements will continue,” he told broadcaster AHaber. “We will not crush our citizens with inflation.”

The tourism sector, which accounts for 13 per cent of the Turkish economy and is a valuable source of foreign currency, also said that rising power bills could damage efforts for economic recovery.

“While electricity bills in Germany are between 2 per cent and 5 per cent of restaurant turnover, it’s reached 10 per cent to 15 per cent in our country,” said Zeki Ozen, chairman of the Antalya Gastronomy Investors and Operators Association.

Many restaurants and cafes now face monthly electricity bills higher than their rent, he said. Meanwhile, cash-strapped customers are cutting down on their nights out.

Hoteliers, who run energy-guzzling air conditioners during the peak summer months, say they are being forced to raise their room prices by up to 50 per cent.

“Hotel operators can’t even imagine how much they will pay when the air conditioners are working when temperatures rise,” said Serdar Karcilioglu, chairman of the Bodrum Professional Hotel Managers’ Association.

While the weak lira seems likely to maintain Turkey’s reputation as an inexpensive summer destination for European visitors, the locals who provide hotels with custom during the off-season are likely to stay away.

“With the new prices, I think that the purchasing power of domestic tourists will decrease by 75 per cent to 80 per cent. We have to save this year with foreign tourists,” Mr Karcilioglu said.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Three tips from La Perle's performers

1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.

2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.

3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.

F1 drivers' standings

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281

2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

Tuesday results:

  • Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
  • UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
  • Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets

Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong

HOSTS

T20 WORLD CUP 

2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland 

ODI WORLD CUP 

2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh 

CHAMPIONS TROPHY 

2025: Pakistan; 2029: India  

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E456hp%20at%205%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E691Nm%20at%203%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14.6L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh349%2C545%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ashes 2019 schedule

August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston

August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's

August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley

September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford

September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)

Engine 2.4L four-cylinder 

Gearbox Nine-speed automatic 

Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm

Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

PRESIDENTS CUP

Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:

02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland

Visa changes give families fresh hope

Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income

Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.

Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.

To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation

 

 

 

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.

There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.

Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.

People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.

There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.

The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.

 

THE BIO

Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old

Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai

Favourite Book: The Alchemist

Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna

Favourite cuisine: Italian food

Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman

 

 

The biog

Age: 30

Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium

Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology

Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging

Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):

Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Match will be shown on BeIN Sports

THE SPECS

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch

Power: 710bhp

Torque: 770Nm

Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds

Top Speed: 340km/h

Price: Dh1,000,885

On sale: now

AndhaDhun

Director: Sriram Raghavan

Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan

Rating: 3.5/5

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Updated: June 14, 2023, 6:41 AM