Donetsk, Nov 1 - DAN. An increase in utility rates in Ukraine shows the Ukrainian authorities’ irresponsible policy towards their own people, Donetsk People’s Republic acting Construction and Housing and Utilities Minister Sergey Naumets said on Thursday.
“A new increase in utility rates is a result of irresponsible, barbaric and incompetent policy of the Ukrainian authorities to accommodate IMF aspirations, which leads to the extermination of their own population,” the Ministry’s press service quoted Naumets as saying.
Naumets said that higher prices of natural gas in Ukraine would increase heat and hot water rates by approximately 16 percent.
“Beginning from November 1, the natural gas price for the population in Ukraine amounts to 8,500 hryvnas (some 20,000 rubles) per 1,000 cubic metres and 8,360 hryvnas for public utilities,” he said.
He noted in this connection that the DPR had no plans for utility rates hikes in the near future.
Earlier, DPR People’s Council deputy, chairwoman of the committee on budget, finance and economic policy Marina Zheinova said that Kiev would have to make unpopular decisions before the elections in order to get IMF loans.*jk