Gennady Charodeev
As journalists of the KazTAG agency working in Aktau told "NI", protests in Zhanaozen and other settlements of the Mangistau region broke out on the morning of January 2. Motorists demanded from the authorities to reduce the cost of liquefied gas, which sharply increased from 60 to 120 tenge (approximately from 10.2 to 20.5 Russian rubles) per liter. By the middle of the day, thousands of Kazakhstanis took to the city streets right from the festive table. No persuasion of the police helped - the people were aggressive.
It got to the point that the Aktau city authorities were forced to call the military for help. Military transport planes with paratroopers on board have landed at the airport of the administrative center of Mangistau region, where mass protests are taking place. KazTAG journalists asserted that security officials from the center were transferred to the city of Zhanaozen , which belongs to the Mangistau region, to the aid of the local police.
Moreover, in Aktau, in the area where a spontaneous rally is taking place, some "smart" chief ordered to turn off the light. This only warmed up the situation in the city.
The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, was forced to react to the riot of Aktau residents, who ordered to "urgently gather the ministers and consider the situation" in order to end the riots.
The government of the country, in a firefighting order, created a special commission that should consider the socio-economic situation in the Mangistau region. The authorities also promised to “implement a package of measures to regulate the price of fuel.
As reported by the Tengrinews agency, frightened by the scale of the protest actions, the owners of gas stations in the Mangistau region on Tuesday reduced the price of liquefied gas for cars.
In addition, the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition of Kazakhstan has launched an investigation into the owners of gas stations. They are suspected of price collusion, according to the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin. However, this did not reduce the intensity of passions.
As KazTAG writes, the protesters in Aktau are not going to disperse, but continue to chant demands to the authorities - they are no longer satisfied with a partial price cut. “The government must resign! Now we will not agree, even if the gas price is lowered to 35 tenge! " - protesters in Aktau declare. The paratroopers are waiting for the command: "put things in order!"