Arseniy Yatsenyuk: Government has allocated UAH 7 billion to compensate for the difference in gas rates

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that the situation with payments for natural gas tends to worsen: "If in 2012 we have covered 80% of the payments, in 2014 we have hardly completed 50%".

The PM informed despite the debt the Cabinet of Ministers had allotted UAH 7 billion to compensate for the difference in rates, “We are to fund directly from the Budget the difference in the tariffs. Currently the payments are being made through the local budgets”.  

Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that Donetsk region has the largest debt to Naftogaz for gas - about UAH 4 billion, Luhansk region – UAH 1.2 billion, "throughout 2014 an additional debt from these two areas has increased by over UAH 1 billion".

The Prime Minister appealed to Naftogaz with a request to provide information regarding payments for natural gas in other areas, "to stir up and improve the system of payments".

"I ask to make relevant financial calculations, to pay off all possible debts, and despite the fact that not all the debts are covered, to deliver natural gas in order to ensure the heating season", said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

The Prime Minister appealed to the heads of regional administrations with a demand "to actually improve the fiscal discipline", "I ask everyone to realize your responsibility for making payments for the natural gas provided by utility companies.

Meanwhile, Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized the need to maintain special monitoring of payments for the consumed natural gas via regional gas companies. He reminded that a number of these enterprises are in private ownership, "it turns out that people have paid money for gas to regional gas companies, but the money failed to get to Naftogaz.

"That is why we have introduced special accounts for payments for the consumed natural gas. All the money that was paid [on accounts], have to go directly to the NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine for the purchase of imported natural gas, instead of being distributed among oligarchs who supervise regional gas companies", he stressed.

"Each hryvnia that is paid for gas must get to Naftogaz. Naftogaz has to convert it and purchase new amounts of natural gas," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.