By end of year Belarusians to cover 40% of utilities costs

It should be noted that some services of housing and public utilities workers are to be paid in full.

By the end of 2015 Belarusians are to pay 40% of utilities costs. Journalists have has been said so today by deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Kalinin. The deputy Prime Minister has also touched upon other issues concerning the communal services in the country.

The Vice Premier believes that the level of recovery, 40%m is rather high. At some positions, for instance, in energy supply of housing facilities, population already offsets more than 80% of expenses, and by the end of the year it is planned to reach the level of about 100% of recovery, BelTA reports.

— We do not set ourselves a goal to reach such a level for all services. For example, heating supply is a rather expensive mechanism, — Anatoly Kalinin stressed.

The Vice Premier has also informed that a draft document on cashless subsidies for utilities services for needy citizens is being prepared in Belarus.

— We are preparing a draft decree to be signed by the head of the state, we want to offer and discuss the issue of cashless subsidies for housing services. Now the housing and utilities sector is subsidized. We want to transit to subsidizing a citizen or a tenant of a residential unit, , — the Vice Premier explained.

As said by Anatoly Kalinin, it is planned to introduce to system of cashless housing subsidies, to create a mechanism of defence of citizens with a low income by the year 2016.

— Thus, we would be able to make more decisive moves in this respect. But as for today, the government is not considering any dramatic changes in the housing and utilities fees’ policy, — he stressed.

According to the plans of the government, by 2017 the population is to cover the expenses of utility providers for housing and utilities services in full. Now Belarusians reimburse about 30% of utilities costs.