Kazakhstan government temporarily restores fuel price cap for 180 days amid violent unrest

After days of violent civilian unrest, Kazakhstan's government on Thursday announced that it is restoring vehicle fuel price caps for at least six months. ex-soviet nation was rocked due to riots and sporic demonstrations that reached main city Almaty over fuel price hike as most citizens, over recent years, converted ir cars to LPG deemed cheaper than gasoline as a vehicle fuel, according to several reports.

Emergency was declared across several key regions including Mangystau, which accounts for nearly 25% of Kazakhstan’s total oil production, S&P Global Platts estimated. 16,000 citizens protested in Aktau, resource-rich province. Despite fact that ex-soviet nation is second-largest non-OPEC crude producer in OPEC+ group, fuel price inflation was spurred due to government’s, what protesters labelled, ‘reckless policies’.  

In this image taken from footage provided by RU-RTR Russian television, Russian peacekeepers exit a Russian military plane in an airport in Kazakhstan. [Credit: AP]

fuel prices in nation shot overnight after Kazakh government lifted price caps on January 1. Kazakh citizens, including ricals and extremists, flooded streets demanding change of policy, while latter ransacked businesses, torched government ministrative buildings, and attacked military forces, prompting government to resort to curfews and declaring a state of emergency for over two weeks.

Dozens of protestors arrested

In country’s largest city, Almaty, a mob hurtled fire, opened live ammunition, and thrashed police officers, who responded with tear gas, stun grenes at crowds of thousands of people that refused to budge. Angry citizens set police cars ablaze in dissent to Kazakhstan’s authoritarian rule, forcing cabinet to dissolve in oil-rich Central Asian country.

Police cordoned off main square in Almaty as violence escalated. Dozens of protesters were arbitrarily detained and mobile internet was snapped throughout country. Russia-led military alliance said yesterday that it was dispatching peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan after country’s president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asked for help, Associated Press reported. Kazakh Interior Ministry said eight police officers and national guard members were killed in violence. 

“Dear compatriots, I urge you to show prudence and not succumb to provocations from within and from without, to euphoria of rallies and permissiveness,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a video dress backing his country’s military forces, eight of whom died in violence.

In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, military vehicles of Russian peacekeepers parked to be uploed on Russian military planes at an airfield outside Moscow, in Russia to fly to Kazakhstan. [Credit: AP]

At least 317 officers have been injured so far. “Calls to attack civilian and military offices are completely illegal. This is a crime that comes with a punishment,” he reiterated in his brocast message aired on government’s official social media handles. In anor update on President’s website, Tokayev announced resignation of Kazakh government. 

Riot police walk to block demonstrators garing during a protest in Almaty, Kazakhstan. [Credit: AP]

Temporary price controls for LPG retired for 180 days

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, though, me an announcement on Jan. 5 that he was restoring temporary price controls for LPG for at least 180 days. Price control will be introduced for both gasoline and diesel, a statement on president's website re. Tokayev stressed that maximum prices on LPG prices were not expected to rise by  end of 2021, quickly ding that his energy ministry was unable to respond to LPG price hikes in given short period of time. 

"During this period, regulatory framework should be carefully prepared, transparent operation of tring platforms should be ensured, and mechanisms to limit sharp rise in prices should be introduced," he said in statement on website. Furrmore in his statement, Tokayev stated, "We cannot do without systemic, but thoughtful and grual reforms. It is necessary to carry out a quality reset of gas industry, to ensure full loing of commercial gas on domestic market." 

A session of Security Council was held in Akorda Palace where main agenda of discussion was unrest and issues related to combating criminal and terror elements that have destabilised law and order in Kazakhstan. Kazakh President Tokayev stressed complexity of current situation and pointed out need to take a number of urgent measures. He called elements behind civilian unrest as "terrorists" as he stressed need of conducting a counter-terrorist operation on protesters. 

"y [protesters] are seizing infrastructure buildings and premises where small arms are located. Currently, re is a battle near Almaty with airborne units of Defense Ministry,” He of State said in government's release on Jan 6.