Since January 1, the price for liquefied petroleum gas has risen from 100 to 120 tenge per liter.
In Kazakhstan, for the third day in a row, massive protests continue, initially caused by the rise in prices for liquefied gas. The demands have expanded and now, in addition to the resignation of the government, they want to eradicate corruption and leave the politics of Nursultan Nazarbayev, reports Chronicle.info with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
Reason for the protest
Hundreds of car owners in the city of Zhanaozen went to spontaneous rally on January 2. They demanded a reduction in prices for liquefied petroleum gas, which has risen in price from 100 to 120 tenge per liter since January 1.
Then, on January 2, a wave of indignation swept across Western Kazakhstan. A small strike in Zhanaozen escalated into mass protests outside the region.
The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan issued a press release explaining the rise in prices by the fact that producers of liquefied gas switched to selling it through electronic trading. But people were not satisfied with the explanation, since transport in the western regions of Kazakhstan is almost completely gasified, and gas is produced in this region.
At night, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, instructed the government to urgently consider the situation in Zhanaozen & # 171; taking into account economic feasibility, in the legal framework & # 187 ;.
Demands of the residents of Kazakhstan
Initially, the protesters demanded to reduce the gas price. Then they called for the resignation of the current government, the eradication of corruption and nepotism, the construction of factories and plants, and the reduction of unemployment. According to the & nbsp; ORDA edition, the protesters in Aktau had demands to refinance loans and raise salaries.
Videos posted on social networks show how hundreds of people on the square in Aktau are chanting & # 171; Shal, ket! & # 187; (& # 171; Go away, old man! & # 187;). This slogan is heard at many protest actions, the participants of which are demanding the departure of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev from politics.
Aktau 00.30. «Shal ket». pic.twitter.com/sL1VuhsDwu
— Samat (@donsimao) January 3, 2022 Expanding protest
Protests have spread beyond the western region of Kazakhstan. On the morning of January 3, the passage to Republic Square was blocked in Almaty. The city began to experience interruptions with mobile Internet.
On the afternoon of January 3, according to eyewitnesses, there were several thousand people on the square in Aktau. The akim (head) of the region came to them, but could not convince them to disperse.
In the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau in western Kazakhstan, hundreds of protesters spent the night of Tuesday, January 4, in squares. In Aktau, protesters set up tents and a yurt. Residents of neighboring regions, including the cities of Aktobe and Uralsk, also arrived in the city.
On the afternoon of January 4, protesters gathered in Yntymak Square in Aktau. 3 tents and 2 yurts were erected on the square. People sing the anthem and shout & # 171; Gas & # 8212; 50 & # 187 ;.
A video of the clashes in Atyrau has appeared on the ZTB telegram channel.
In addition, 4,000 people attended a rally in Zhanaozen. No one came out of the government to join them.
Recall, & nbsp; the Kazakh authorities brutally & nbsp; suppressed a protest against oil workers in Zhanaozen in December 2011. Then at least 16 people died.