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HOW WELL DOES THE GOVERNMENT PROTECT THE CITIZENS' INTERESTS?
http://karabakh-open.info/en/subjecten/4767-en1028
Wednesday, 12 June 2013 12:17
As we have already reported during its June 10 session the NKR state
committee on regulation of public services and economic competition
decided to increase the tariff rates on gas, electricity and water. If
the rise of the gas rate could be explained, on part of electricity
and water rates that is, to put it mildly, impossible to understand, as
during the recent years it has been announced at the higher instances
that the electricity rate will not change in the nearest future,
that soon we shall become a country exporting electricity and that
the electric energy rate will never exceed 30 drams. On part of water
there were various announcements as if we are able to export water
but it turns out this sphere as well can't do without problems.
During the session the head of the committee kept emphasizing that
for the inhabitants the tariff rates would remain the same, they
would change only for legal entities. In answer to the question
"Will the committee manage to suppress the rising of the prices on
other services as a result of the growth of the mentioned tariff
rates?" the head of the committee only noted that they should do
their best to prevent any unwarranted rising. But these rises will
be justified by the growth of gas, electricity and water rates and
in the end people will have to put up with these prices as well.
The subsidy of part of the tariff rate of the electric energy consumed
by the inhabitants was also long discussed. They seem to lighten the
burden of the inhabitants but a question arises: where do they get the
necessary amount of money, again from the state budget which is the
inhabitants' "common pocket" or they will search for other resources?
These are questions which have no answer yet.
Wasn't it possible to maintain even only the prices of our resources
to avoid the additional tension among the population which is expressed
in any conversation about the rising of the rates? The chairman of the
committee on regulation of public services and economic competition
noted in his speech that it was impossible to avoid this growth of
tariff rates and "these rates should have been much higher, we just
tried to find the "golden mean" for the present-day situation".
Some inhabitants, though, suggested other variants in their talk
with us. "They have nothing else to do but to blow up the country and
kill the people. Are our incomes so high to increase the tariff rates
so much? My husband is an invalid who gets a pension of 30 thousand
drams. He is a bed-ridden patient and we have to take him to Yerevan
once in two months. Just tell me how should I pay for these services,
buy the necessary medicine and live through the whole month?" This
question was directed to us by one of Stepanakert citizens.
http://karabakh-open.info/en/subjecten/4767-en1028
Wednesday, 12 June 2013 12:17
As we have already reported during its June 10 session the NKR state
committee on regulation of public services and economic competition
decided to increase the tariff rates on gas, electricity and water. If
the rise of the gas rate could be explained, on part of electricity
and water rates that is, to put it mildly, impossible to understand, as
during the recent years it has been announced at the higher instances
that the electricity rate will not change in the nearest future,
that soon we shall become a country exporting electricity and that
the electric energy rate will never exceed 30 drams. On part of water
there were various announcements as if we are able to export water
but it turns out this sphere as well can't do without problems.
During the session the head of the committee kept emphasizing that
for the inhabitants the tariff rates would remain the same, they
would change only for legal entities. In answer to the question
"Will the committee manage to suppress the rising of the prices on
other services as a result of the growth of the mentioned tariff
rates?" the head of the committee only noted that they should do
their best to prevent any unwarranted rising. But these rises will
be justified by the growth of gas, electricity and water rates and
in the end people will have to put up with these prices as well.
The subsidy of part of the tariff rate of the electric energy consumed
by the inhabitants was also long discussed. They seem to lighten the
burden of the inhabitants but a question arises: where do they get the
necessary amount of money, again from the state budget which is the
inhabitants' "common pocket" or they will search for other resources?
These are questions which have no answer yet.
Wasn't it possible to maintain even only the prices of our resources
to avoid the additional tension among the population which is expressed
in any conversation about the rising of the rates? The chairman of the
committee on regulation of public services and economic competition
noted in his speech that it was impossible to avoid this growth of
tariff rates and "these rates should have been much higher, we just
tried to find the "golden mean" for the present-day situation".
Some inhabitants, though, suggested other variants in their talk
with us. "They have nothing else to do but to blow up the country and
kill the people. Are our incomes so high to increase the tariff rates
so much? My husband is an invalid who gets a pension of 30 thousand
drams. He is a bed-ridden patient and we have to take him to Yerevan
once in two months. Just tell me how should I pay for these services,
buy the necessary medicine and live through the whole month?" This
question was directed to us by one of Stepanakert citizens.