Union of Turkish Bar Associations takes legal action against increases in electricity prices

* "Moda Sahnesi", a private theater hall in İstanbul, has announced that while its previous electricity bill stood at 7 thousand lira, it has increased to 20 thousand lira. "We do not accept this exorbitant electricity price; for this reason, we don't pay the bill," it has said.

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The Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) has filed a lawsuit into the excessive increases in electricity prices in Turkey. Taking legal action against the price hikes, the TBB has requested that the related decisions of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) be annulled.

Releasing a statement today (February 11), the TBB has stressed that electricity shall be offered to consumers in line with the public good.

"Electricity is not a commercial good, but a public and social service; for this reason, it shall be offered to consumers in line with the public good as a right to life and consumer right," the TBB has underlined.

Referring to Article 1 of the Electricity Market Law and Article 1 of the Law on the Protection of the Consumer, the TBB has noted that "electricity shall be offered to consumers and society in a sufficient, quality, constant and environmentally-friendly manner and at low costs."

The Union of Bar Associations has stressed that providing citizens with electricity in such a way is "also a requirement of being a social state of law." Accordingly, it has announced that it has taken legal action against the related electricity prices hikes. The TBB has said:

The Union of Turkish Bar Associations has filed a lawsuit of annulment for the stay of execution and cancellation of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority decisions, which have introduced excessive hikes in electricity prices that are totally against the Constitution, legislation, universal consumer rights, public good and understanding of social state.

In filing the lawsuit, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations has referred to the following two laws / articles currently in effect in Turkey:

Electricity Market Law ARTICLE 1 - (1) The object of this Law is to ensure the establishment of a financially sound, stable and transparent electricity market operating in a competitive environment under, and subject to, private law provisions as well as to ensure the independent regulation and supervision of this market for purposes of providing sufficient, good quality, uninterrupted, low cost and environment-friendly electricity to consumers.

Law on Protection of the Consumer ARTICLE 1 - (1) Article 1 The purpose of this act is to take measures aimed at protecting the health, safety and economic interests of consumers in line with the public good, building consumer awareness, indemnifying losses incurred by consumers and protecting them against environmental hazards; to promote consumer initiatives aimed at protecting consumer interests and to encourage volunteer organizations aimed at devising consumer-related policies.

(AÖ/SD)