Volodymyr Hroysman: Energy independency is a national security issue for Ukraine
Energy
efficiency and energy independency are among the topmost priorities for Ukraine
today. Why these issues are crucial and how they should be solved were the
questions raised by the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Regional
Development, Building, Housing and Communal Services Volodymyr Groysman during a panel discussion of energy efficiency
issues in the framework of Sweden-Ukraine Business Forum.
According to
him, the Soviet system, which has been in effect until recently, with low
prices for energy carriers and loss-making tariffs which were compensated from the
state budget, deprived citizens of any stimuli to increase efficiency in
consuming energy resources.
“The
Government had recently adopted a hard but crucial decision on gradual transition
of tariffs to those complying with the price the energy resources are bought
for. I consider such standard pay increase is an extra
motivation for the people, making them understand that it is necessary to
economize and pay less,” the Vice Prime Minister said.
Among the
prerequisites of rational energy consumption, according to the Vice Prime
Minister, is also enhanced capacity of the local communities. “Nowadays
opportunities of communities, municipalities are seriously restricted, it is
difficult for them to solve energy efficiency problems through low financing allocated
for upgrading, in particular, of the housing sector and communal economy. Hence,
our task is to create conditions for this problem to be solved as fast as
possible and to determine mechanisms of raising loans,” he stressed.
Volodymyr Hroysman
informed that his ministry designs certain laws called to provide an
opportunity for the citizens residing in multi-flat buildings approve joint decisions,
notably, to facilitate raising loans for thermal modernization of their homes. Moreover,
the Ministry of Regional Development is engaged into combined activity with
other concerned ministries in order to simplify access of municipalities to
cheap loans of international financial institutions.
“Energy independence is a national security issue of today, hence it should
be and will be solved,” Volodymyr Hroysman stressed.