The overstatement of the cost of privatized housing in the Vitebsk region in 2013-2014 amounted to more than Br1.2 billion

The total amount of overestimation of the cost of privatized housing in the Vitebsk region in 2013-2014, according to the results of prosecutor's inspections, amounted to more than Br1.2 billion. These figures were announced today at a joint meeting of the prosecutor's office and the Committee of State Control of the Vitebsk region on the topic of compliance with the requirements of legislation during the privatization of residential premises, reports a correspondent of BELTA.

"Selective inspections by the prosecutor's office, which covered about a thousand materials, revealed facts of overestimation of housing costs totaling more than Br1.2 billion and underestimation - about Br800 million. In the first case, this is a non-compliance with the interests of citizens, in the second - damage to the state. And in total for 2013-2014, local executive bodies issued more than 31 thousand permits for the privatization of real estate. That is, the number of incorrect calculations may actually be significantly higher," said the prosecutor of the region Gennady Dysko.

There is just over a year left until the deadline when citizens can privatize housing, and the public's eagerness to carry out this procedure has not subsided. Prosecutors and the KGB have been carrying out targeted control over compliance with legislation in this area since the end of 2013. The participants of the meeting noted that the work of appraisal commissions at executive committees is formal in nature in a number of cases. This is confirmed by control checks, during which the same violations are revealed as before. That is, some executive committees and organizations do not correct their actions even after the issuance of prescriptions and instructions, and the involvement of disciplinary responsibility.

As noted by Irina Yanukovich, Head of the Department for the Enforcement of Legislation and Legality of Legal Acts of the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, such facts as incorrect assessment of housing value, violation of deadlines for considering applications and making decisions on privatization permits, violations in the оформление of title documents, lack of control over the receipt of funds from privatization, failure to take measures regarding overdue payments, alienation of real estate objects not subject to privatization, and others are being established. "Based on the results of the 2014 inspections and control measures, which are still ongoing, 25 submissions have been made, more than 25 decisions of executive committees have been protested, and 38 officials have been held accountable," added Irina Yanukovich.

As a result of the formal attitude of some officials towards the performance of their duties in 2014, the number of citizens' appeals regarding violations of legislation during the privatization of residential premises increased more than twofold (from 101 to 211), many of which were substantiated. In addition, the number of administrative complaints against decisions of executive committees on housing privatization increased more than sixfold (from 48 to 316).

"Local authorities often shift their functions to housing and communal services organizations. Privatization work in these organizations is usually handled by one specialist. Violations arise in the absence of control from the executive committee. We will raise the issue of the need for methodological assistance at the level of the regional executive committee and the housing and communal services department," explained Natalia Nikiforova, Head of one of the departments of the Vitebsk Regional Committee of State Control.

Regarding the assessment of housing value, Irina Yanukovich noted another factor. "The Vitebsk City Executive Committee, when determining the environmental quality coefficient, is guided by a decision made in 1992, which has not been amended to this day. But during this time, the infrastructure has grown, and new buildings have completely different utilities. Is it appropriate to apply that outdated coefficient?" she noted. During the joint collegium "On the Results of Supervision and Control over Compliance with Legislation during the Privatization of State Housing Stock and Other Disposal of Housing," participants identified solutions to this and other problems. Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee Anatoly Diulin emphasized that there will be strict accountability for all responsible persons and each member of the appraisal commissions for ignoring the requirements of the legislation.

Ekaterina Knyazeva