TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan plans to distribute free gas after Turkiye pumped its first locally produced Black Sea natural gas to its national system.
Erdoğan made the promise during a ‘commissioning ceremony’ in the black sea town of Zonguldak earlier this week.
The pumping of Turkiye’s first locally produced gas means that the country has increased its energy independence.
According to Erdogan, the gas consumed in residential areas would be free of charge for a month to celebrate the occasion, with each household able to save 625 lira or about $32.2.
In addition, households consuming up to 25 cubic meters per month will be offered free natural gas for 1 whole year – a move that will help them save 1,500 lira or about $77.2 for 12 months.
The embattled president made the offer as the Turkish lira fell to an all-time low against the United States dollar at a level never seen before since 2005.
As residents face a biting cost-of-living crisis, the free natural gas offer could be a perfect opportunity for Erdogan to boost his popularity ahead of the May 14 elections.
