The Vitebsk Region Media Center discussed work with citizens' appeals
The event moderator, Yulia Novikova, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of "Vitebskiye Vesti," recalled that Vladimir Andreichenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, held a personal reception of citizens in Glubokoye in March. At that time, the speaker of the lower house emphasized to the local authorities and regional media the importance of providing more information about what is being done in the region to address social issues. This will help people better understand the problems and know what the authorities are doing to resolve specific issues. According to Vladimir Andreichenko, this approach will help reduce social tension and decrease the number of appeals to higher authorities.
In 2022, local and administrative authorities received 40,000 appeals, reported Ilona Shulga. The typical applicant is an elderly person, a pensioner, or a person with a disability. However, more and more young citizens are also appealing, facilitated by the creation of a unified system for processing appeals. Now, any citizen can create a personal account and use it to contact any authority in the republic and receive a response. This explains the increase in electronic appeals, although the number of applications to higher authorities has decreased by 35%. The priority is to resolve issues at the local level.
In this regard, the work of the Sharkovshchyna District Executive Committee can be positively noted. They have established relationships with people in such a way as to directly receive their requests and promptly make decisions, preempting appeals to various authorities.
Many applications are currently being received by the 115 service. It is known that in December 2018, by decision of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, a regional contact center with a single number 115 was established within the housing and communal services structure. The head of the service, Tatyana Skibitskaya, reported that 75,000 applications have already been received in the first two months of the current year, with another 50,000 being of a consultative nature. For comparison, last year this figure was 633,000, of which 6,000 were sent back for revision. Citizens are most concerned about issues related to electricity and hot water supply, sewage, etc.
“Land” appeals are of a complex nature. As a rule, they are related to interpersonal relationships between neighbors. Their resolution, at times, lies in the legal sphere, through courts, but citizens rarely resort to them due to legal costs, Igor Levenkov emphasized in his speech. The fact that out of 122 appeals received by the regional executive committee, only 10 were deemed justified is food for thought. This fact indicates that specialists at the local level do not always competently and qualitatively handle land issues.
"Vitebskiye Vesti"