Nearly 70% of the public institutions and social facilities do not provide ramps for wheelchair users, shows a report by the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction. Of the over 5,000 public institutions examined, more than 3,000 do not have wheelchair access, while the existing ramps do not meet the norms.

In a communiqué, the Ministry says that the plan of action for implementing measures to ensure disabled persons’ access to social infrastructure was approved last August. In October and November, architects, designers and inspectors had been trained and taught methods of solving this problem. They were warned that if the relevant construction norms are violated, they will be penalized.

Officials of the Ministry will continue to cooperate with the local authorities so as to outfit with ramps all the public institutions and social facilities (drugstores, churches, medical centers, etc.).