Arseniy Yatsenyuk: The regions are ready for the heating season. The Government has provided subsidies for supplying gas

Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk has commissioned the heads of regional state administrations to ensure the start of the heating season in the regions. He announced this on Wednesday, October 22, at a session of the Cabinet of Ministers during a teleconference with heads of regional state administration dedicated to the beginning of the heating season.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that according to the report, all the regions “are ready 100% to switch on the heating". According to him, six areas have already turned on the heating.

The PM stressed from October 26 the temperature regime would be “minus”, “All over Ukraine, according to Gidrometcentr, an average temperature will drop below minus 8 C. It means all the regions must turn on the heating”.

According to the Head of the Government, despite the fact that the payments for natural gas haven’t been made, the Government has planned to subsidize from the central budget and “has transferred funds to ensure Naftogaz could supply gas”.

"You are technically ready. We have provided you with gas," urged Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressing the heads of regional state administration.

He stressed the need to pay special attention to the heating systems in hospitals, kindergartens and schools, "we need more thorough control by the heads of regional state administrations, heads of districts, to ensure technical side of the heating season”.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk appealed to the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Volodymyr Groysman once a week to summon a teleconference with heads of regional state administration to ensure prompt informing about "the state of matters in providing with heating and electricity and payments for heating and electricity”.

During the teleconference the heads of regional state administrations reported the Government members about the state of preparation of the regions for the ongoing heating season of 2014-2015.

In particular, the head of Kyiv regional state administration Volodymyr Shandra informed that Kyiv region demonstrates "almost 100% readiness for the heating season. Presently, there have been prepared 748 secondary schools, 466 infant schools and 206 hospitals, "Now they are being connected to the heating on a gradual basis, so by Friday all of these objects will start the heating season".

Vladimir Shandra added that all local councils in 25 districts of Kyiv region and 12 towns of regional significance had decided to commence the heating season.

The head of Rivne regional state administration Serhiiy Rybachok informed that his area was ready to turn on the heating. As of today, the percentage of the objects that started the heating season was as follows: 17% of schools, 31% of infant schools, 22% medical institutions, "Presently the process to connect residential buildings is on. By Friday the entire social area will be included into the heating season", said Sergey Rybachok.

As reported head of Poltava regional state administration Victor Bugaychuk, the heating season had commenced in the region, with 59% of schools, 67% of kindergartens, 92% of hospitals and 30% of houses completely provided with heating. Victor Bugaychuk assured that by October 24, the connection to the heating system would be completed.