PM calls on MPs to support a bill that will prevent private heating supply companies from making a profit out of people's money

"We have no right to go back a single half-step in conducting efficient and powerful reforms in the social, economic and financial sector," Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated speaking at the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, June 18.

The Prime Minister urged the MPs to adopt a number of reform bills.

"The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine today came to the Parliament in order to support bills that have been in progress for two months at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. We have held dozens of consultations with you and all these consultations are reduced to one thing: the bills needed for real reforms in the country should get support of the Ukraine's Parliament," he stressed.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has noted that Ukraine in cooperation with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund is working for the financial stabilization of the country, "Ukraine is looking forward to the second tranche of the IMF in the amount of US$1.7 billion."

"Nobody gives money for nothing. Money is given in exchange for real reform. These real reforms have been confirmed by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, the finance ministers of the Group of Seven, leaders of the Group of Seven," he said.

Explaining the core of bill №2956 on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the moratorium on the forced sale of property" (regarding the mechanisms of influence on the debtor companies), Arseniy Yatsenyuk underlined that this bill has nothing to do with privatization.

"This law has nothing in common with privatization. What is the core of this bill? Heating utility companies are collecting money from the people of Ukraine. They provided heat and put a payment order. People paid according to that payment for heat, which came into their house. The company received money from people. As a result, instead of giving this money to Naftogaz for the delivered gas, used for heating homes of citizens, the money goes in an unknown direction, including into the pocket of private owners of these enterprises," he said.

"In case a company receives money from the population of Ukraine for utility services and does not pay for purchased natural gas, we should deprive a company of its owners and it must become bankrupt in order to prevent people’s money from disappearing in the pockets of private owners of a heating utility company," Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized.  

He called on the Parliament to support this bill, "If you do not vote for this law, it means that heating utility companies that are stealing people’s money for heating will continue to do this, and we will not be able to buy gas and pay in our energy system. So I ask MPs to support this bill and give no opportunity for private heating utility companies to make a profit out of people’s money."