| Moscow, September 11, 2003. Russian citizens pay on average
three to five times too much for housing and utilities services. According
to our correspondent, this statement was made by YABLOKO's leader Grigory
Yavlinsky at a press conference on Thursday, September 11. According
to Yavlinsky, the preliminary results of the "Let's Put Monopolists
on the Meter" action conducted in Russia's regions by the Russian
Democratic Party YABLOKO demonstrated that real consumption of water in
houses and flats was far lower than the amount envisaged by standard rates
- from 1.5 to 7 times less. The tests were conducted in Ulyanovsk, Chelyabinsk,
Tula, Samara,
Balgoveschensk, Moscow and Moscow Region from June to August 2003. The
biggest discrepancies were disclosed in Moscow, Moscow region and Ulyanovsk.
A number of lawsuits were brought against housing and utilities entities
in view of the violation of citizens' rights. All the lawsuits were accepted
by the courts.
Yavlinsky noted that the first stage of the programme had envisaged
the installation of metres for hot and cold water in houses and determination
of the real volume of consumption and comparison of this level with the
amount payable to housing and utilities enterprises. St. Petersburg, Cheboksari,
Kirov and Murmansk have already joined the programme, Barnaul, Omsk, Kemerovo,
and the Maritime Territory are going to join. Further development of the
programme "Let's Put Monopolists on the Meter" envisages that
it will spread to other Russian regions, and in addition to the organisation
of measurements of water consumption of water, it will also control heating
and the provision of other utilities services. According to Yavlinsky,
the final goal of the YABLOKO project is to create a constructive model
of housing and utilities reform based on the principles of social justice,
civil control, and free competition. Yavlinsky added that the present
system was based on unconstitutional deceit of the citizens.
See also:
Housing
and Utilities Reform
|
