National News

Belarus not to increase tariffs on utility services till end of current year

Tariffs on utility services will not be increased in Belarus till the end of the current year, chief of the department of utilities and energy of the Ministry of Housing Maintenance and Utilities of Belarus Alexander Litvin told reporters on September 27. “The tariffs will not be increased this year. As soon as the heating season starts residents will have to pay Br81.4 thousand for a one-room apartment (Br49.7 thousand – in summer), Br122.2 thousand for a two-room apartment (Br74.6 thousand) and Br170 thousand for a three-room apartment (Br101.7 thousand). “Thus we will pay more for utilities just because of the beginning of the heating season,” said Alexander Litvin. According to him, at present expenses on utilities account for 8.8% of the total expenditures of the Belarusian population. In 2003 this index was 11.1%. In Germany, for example, it reaches 35% and in the Russian regions -13.4%. In Khabarovsk it makes 24.7%.