Tariff on water and heat will rise as of January, while consumers will pay more in July

The increase in tariffs on heat and water will be the items brought up for discussion on December 28 in the Chisinau Municipal Council, interim mayor Vasile Ursu told a meeting on December 25. As he states, tough the increase in tariffs could be approved in the first half of the year the people will not pay for the consumption according to the new tariffs because the authorities did not work out a method of paying the compensations for the socially vulnerable people. The difference of the tariff will be covered in a proportion of 55% by the municipal budget, and the rest will be requested from the state budget. Next year the authorities will pay for this “difference of tariff” about 200 mln lei, estimated interim mayor. Ursu does not know yet how much the tariffs will rise, as their value is still debated by the commissions of the Municipal Council. The cited source stated that the increase in tariffs for domestic consumers is to be approved by local authorities as a result of the increase in tariff on gas and in compliance with the requirements of the international financial organisations. As Ursu said, “if we want to head for Europe, we must accept the EU rules”. Earlier in November, Chisinau Municipal Council approved the allocation of 33 mln lei for “Termocom” JSC to compensate the enterprise’s expenses related to the increase in tariff on natural gas. The present tariff of 233 lei per one G-calorie was to be kept till the end of the year, being possible only with the financial support provided by the local budget. Previously Ursu said that local authorities would work out a mechanism for paying the compensations only when the new tariffs would be approved. A number of municipal councillors stated then that the tariffs would not be increased because the government party did not want to make the electorate angry on the eve of the local elections.