Gas supplying enterprises started fixing a higher tariff for the households that have no metering devices at the rate of 6 cubic meters of gas per person per month for the households having only a gas stove and 18 cubic meters per person per month for the households having a gas stove and a water-heater. The Government adopted a decree that establishes a norm of 4.4 and 14 cubic meters, respectively. Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk requires from the gas providers to immediately recalculate the ratio and return money to people, he said at a Government’s meeting on Wednesday, March 23.

The Prime Minister announced that he had received complaints of citizens on increase in tariffs by the gas supply companies. Recently, citizens who haven’t installed gas meters, started to receive bills containing a higher tariff calculated 6 cubic meters of gas per person per month for the households with only a gas stove and 18 cubic meters per person per month with a gas stove and a geyser.

"This contradicts the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers adopted last year. But the court revoked the resolution of the Government, and therefore now the providers have taken the appropriate decisions," he stressed.

"Depending on the household, the value varies from UAH 195 to UAH 1800 per heating season, the amount they want to illegally get from the citizens, and transfer to the revenues of regional gas providers", stressed the Head of Government.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk offered to the Government, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had overturned a previous government decision, to endorse a resolution following an urgent procedure which stipulates to set the ratio of 4.4 cubic meters per person per month for the households having a gas stove and of 14 cubic meters per person per month with a gas stove and a geyser, as was calculated by the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry and the National Commission for the State Regulation in the Energy Sector and Utilities.

Thereby, the Government adopted a relevant resolution.

The Prime Minister appealed to the gas supply enterprises: "The decision to charge the norm of 6 cubic meters does not correspond to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers, that is illegal."

"I demand the immediate recalculation (of tariffs) and to pay people back the money", urged Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

The Government also gave a commission to the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine in a week’s term to develop and approve a procedure of recalculation of gas consumption norms to apply to the period of effect of the revoked by the court resolution.