Almaty drivers will protest against fuel prices hikes with a flash-mob

Almaty car-owners are planning to have a flash-mob against fuel prices raise, Tengrinews.kz reports. The participants are planning to have the event on August 28 at 11:00 a.m. at Astana square (at the crossing of Tole bi and Ablai-khan streets) in Almaty. The drivers are planning to drive down the city streets in a column and then simultaneously honk when passing Kazakhstan President’s residency and Almaty city administration at the Republic square. The idea of the flash-mob appeared on August 21 at one of Kazakhstan Internet-forums. Statistics of the website shows that 180 people agreed to take part in it. “This topic was created on the forum because there is a social necessity in it. In a civilized way people are trying to express their opinion. And they would like the authorities to hear them,” creative director of the forum administration Darya Bublik said. She added that the website does not have any relation to the event and it just gave people a platform for discussion. August 19 information spread through the Internet that Kazakhstan’s Government planned to raise retail price ceiling on fuel by 12-14% starting from September 1. This message caused a wave of protests among car-owners. Later the press-service of the Ministry of Oil and Gas announced that there will be no petrol price hike in September.