In Belarus, housing and communal services for the population have become more expensive since June 1

June 1, Minsk / BELTA /. Housing and utility services for the population in Belarus have become more expensive. This decision is contained in the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of May 28, 2012 No. 486 "On Amendments to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of February 4, 2011 No. 138", which comes into force on June 1 of the current year, the press service of the Belarusian government informed a BELTA correspondent. The document was adopted for the phased increase in the level of reimbursement by the population of the costs of providing housing and utility services. According to the document, the tariff for thermal energy for heating and hot water supply will be Br60,140 per Gcal (previously - Br53,773 per Gcal), for cold water supply services - Br900 per cubic meter (previously - Br585 per cubic meter), and for sewerage - Br550 per cubic meter (previously - Br305 per cubic meter). Now, payments for a family of three living in a standard two-room apartment with a total area of 48 sq.m, including heating, will increase by Br17 thousand, or by 8.6%, including Br10 thousand for thermal energy for heating and hot water supply, and Br7 thousand for water supply and sewerage services. The press service recalled that tariffs for the population for water supply and sewerage services have not been revised since February 2011. Thus, the cost of housing and utility services for a family of three living in a standard two-room apartment with a total area of 48 sq.m will be Br216.4 thousand during the heating season and Br137.9 thousand during the summer season. The press service of the Council of Ministers emphasized that, taking into account the measures taken by the government to increase the population's income in 2012, the share of payments for housing and utility services in family incomes will not increase with the specified tariff increase. The Belarusian government recalled that the calculations for the Law of Belarus "On the Republican Budget for 2012" provide that the costs of providing housing and utility services by organizations of the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services system should be reimbursed by 35% through payments from the population. Currently, the cost recovery level is less than 13%. To increase the payback of housing and utility services in the country, measures are being taken to reduce the cost of services provided. Thus, according to the results of the first quarter of the current year, the costs of providing housing and utility services to the population as a whole decreased by 10.5% in comparable terms compared to the same period in 2011, with a set target of at least 10%. Cost savings amounted to Br101.5 billion. However, given the increase in the cost of providing housing and utility services for objective reasons, it is not possible to fulfill the established parameter for the level of cost recovery by the population solely through cost reduction, the press service of the Council of Ministers emphasized. -0-