MINSK, 5 January (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has signed Decree No. 473 “On the establishment of utility tariffs for the population in 2018”, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.
Maximum allowable tariffs have been formed taking in to account the reserves for reducing the cost of housing and utility services revealed by the interagency working group. This group was established by the State Control Committee upon the instruction of the head of state.
As a result, utility bills for a typical two-room apartment with three people living in it will increase by $5 in the equivalent provided that the consumption of services does not exceed the established norm.
It is expected that the recovery of utility costs by the population will exceed 70% in 2018 thanks to the new tariffs. Plans have been made to ensure the 100% recovery of the costs of such services as the technical maintenance of residential facilities and elevators, water supply and disposal, collection, disposition and recycling of household wastes thanks to the efforts to reduce their prime cost.
Because of the increase in utility tariffs the state will continue providing cashless housing subsidies to low-income groups of the population.
Such subsidies are provided to people and families with a condition that their monthly utility bills exceed 20% of their monthly aggregate income in urban areas and 15% in rural areas.
