The rise in electric power tariffs was inevitable at a time when the rate of inflation rose by almost 47% in 2009. Such a decision will yet lead to successive price rises that will affect first of all the socially deprived groups of people. The subject was discussed in a roundtable meeting centering on the improvement of the energy efficiency program for families on low incomes, IPN reports.

Technical director of the company “Termoelectrica” Iurie Razlovan said the rise in tariffs does not mean that the money for public utilities will be collected. “We thus enter a vicious circle - the tariffs were adjusted, but money is not collected. We must understand that this will lead to debts and to problems inside companies, and a balance should be established here,” he stated.

Independent expert Ion Butmalai said the vulnerable groups of people will definitely be the most affected by the successive price rises. These will accumulate debts that will be much larger than their incomes and the failure of the delayed reforms in the energy sector will also affect the population. “The costs of maintaining an apartment of 50m2 following the rise in heat charges will soon increase to 1,650 lei. In such a situation, the payment capacity of the vulnerable groups will considerably reduce, while the social assistance programs will be unable to alleviate the shocks felt by these categories,” he stated.

Victor Cojocaru, director of the bakery “Franzeluta”, anticipated that the rise in electricity and gas tariffs will lead to a rise of almost 11% in bread prices. “In the first half of this year, our company sustained losses of almost 5 million lei and the new rises will affect us even more seriously. We will incur additional costs of 14 million lei,” he stated, noting that it is three months until the heating season and solutions should be found for socially underprivileged families and for companies too.

The socially deprived families in Chisinau benefit from a 40% reduction in the heat bills. In the 2014 cold period, the Chisinau City Hall allocated 52 million lei intended for socially unprivileged families. In 2015 this figure is 77 million lei.