The issue of utility tariffs and colossal debts for heating has once again become the center of attention for the Government of Ukraine. During the Question Hour to the Government, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko clarified the situation: responsibility for water pricing has been fully transferred to local administrations at the regional level.
Who now decides the cost of water
Sviridenko emphasized that this is now the full responsibility of regional authorities. "Indeed, pricing for water tariffs has been transferred to local administrations at the regional level. This is their full responsibility," the Prime Minister stated.
At the same time, she reminded about the separation of powers: the task of the Verkhovna Rada is to exercise parliamentary control, while the Cabinet of Ministers exercises governmental control. This means that the central government will monitor the process but will not directly dictate prices.
Energy crisis: 180 billion hryvnias in debt
The situation with heating turned out to be even more acute. The Prime Minister called heating debts a "major problem." According to the First Vice Prime Minister for Energy, the total debt to Naftogaz has reached 180 billion hryvnias.
The government is paying special attention to frontline territories, where the volume of debt is the greatest. "Over the past 2-3 weeks, we have been holding meetings with regional state administrations; the situation is particularly difficult in frontline territories," Sviridenko noted.
Finding a balance between operations and debts
The task facing the government is to find the right balance. It is necessary to ensure the operation of frontline regions, but at the same time prevent further accumulation of debts. "We are looking for solutions and will discuss them at the committee level within the legislation, and we are looking for other regulatory solutions that we can adopt as a government to resolve this situation," the Prime Minister added.
Tariff hikes and illegal charges
Recall that as of July 1, tariffs for centralized water supply and sewage changed in many cities of Ukraine. For most consumers, the cost of services doubled, and in some settlements, it tripled. This caused a wave of dissatisfaction among citizens.
Furthermore, numerous cases of unjustified tariff inflation have been identified in the country. As a result, some consumers should receive back funds that were charged in excess of established norms. This is another aspect that the government plans to monitor and regulate.
