Syrians refuse to pay electricity bill due to power cuts

Some part of Damascus have been without electricity for 16 hours a day Syrian citizens are refusing to pay their electricity bills, due to several power cuts over the last few months.Northern governorates have suffered from regularcuts since last year, and now central and southern regions have been subject to a similar shortage.Syrian citizens are being forced to use candles, and struggling to fulfil their basic needs.
Samira, a housewife, told Arabstoday the electricity shortage has made life difficult for ordinary people. She blamed the fuel crisis for Syrian problems and revealed that without electricity she cannot cook for her family.
Mohamed, a Syrian citizen, said that people sleep when the electricity is cut and wake up when it returns. He added that Damascus' neighbourhoods usually see electricity in three-hour cycles.
Another Syrian named Emad, revealed that he has installed an electricity generator to deal with the the problem. However, the increase in fuel prices has meant he is paying over the odds to run the generator. Emad claimed that fuel is limited in supply and prices are rocketing up due to increasing demand.
Syrians in Damascus say they are under no obligations to pay their electricity bills, because the government has failed to fulfil its commitment to provide electricity.
In Syria's northern cities, residents have been living without electricity for two months ago, while people in Aleppo's neighbourhoods have reported electricity cuts for more than a month.
Some parts of Damascus have been without electricity for 16 hours a day.
Syrian Ministry of Electricity has called on nationals to rationalise their use of electricity, to limit pressure on electricity networks. The Ministry has also promised free maintenance, and advised citizens to only pay for the electricity they are using.
However, Syrians are not convinced by the government's strategy. Lagine told Arabstoday that the call to rationalise use of electricity does not make sense because "we only get electricity for a few hours every day."
"They have asked us not to use electricity in heating, but we have no other alternatives due to the fuel crisis," she added.
She laughed off the Syrian government's promise of free maintenance, saying that energy workers refuse to visit places due to the deteriorating security conditions.
According to Watan newspaper, electricity companies are bearing significant financial losses due to the cuts, as citizens are reluctant to rely on such companies for maintenance.