SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Taxi drivers on Thursday continued to protest in Sulaimani against a rise in gasoline prices in the Kurdistan Region.
Esta Media Network reporter said the drivers had blocked both sides of Sulaimani-Tasluja main road near the governorate’s building.
The reporter added that there was a number of civilians among the drivers in the protest, saying “the high price of gasoline has affected their daily life as well”.
One liter of “regular” gasoline in the patrol stations is sold at 1,025 dinars (70 cents), up 125 dinars since February 19. One liter of “supreme” gasoline price is at 1,175 dinars.
Normal grade gasoline was sold at 500 Iraqi dinars (34 cents) at the start of 2021 but the prices rose to around 750 dinars per liter (51 cents) late in summer.
Sulaimani governorate decided on Monday to dedicate two petrol stations to distribute gasoline provided by the Iraqi government to taxi drivers. One liter of the central government’s gasoline costs 690 dinars (47 cents).
Taxi drivers, however, said two petrol stations were not enough for them, calling on the authorities to increase the number to four stations.
“We decided to open the road because the authorities promised to increase the number to four petrol stations,” a taxi driver told Esta Media Network, as they reopened the road after two hours.
Taxi and mini bus drivers have protested in Sulaimani in the past months over rising petrol prices in the Region.
