Utility bills to double

The Minister of Housing and Utilities Sector of Belarus, Andrei Sharets, said utility bills would increase more than twofold in the nearest time.

According to him, population paid only 16% of the real cost of utilities at the end of last year, but people are expected  to pay 35% of the expenses this year.

“There is a programme of social and economic development of Belarus providing for increasing this figure to 60% and 100% for some public services (heating will be subsidized by the government, but expenses for garbage, water, sewage will be compensated 100%),” Andrei Sharets told “Respublika” newspaper during a phone-in session.