150 families spent almost a week without electricity in Stavropol Territory

In the north-western district of Stavropol, the hostel in Brusneva Street was disconnected from electricity for six days for debts: its inhabitants cooked food on an open fire, made homework at candlelight and held protest rallies.

"The electricity supply to our hostel was cut off back on September 10. Hostel dwellers have toured all the instances. In particular, the administration said that 'until the last drunkard pays the debt, you'll have no electricity back'. We believe it unfair, as only some 15 tenants fail to pay," said one of the hostel residents.

Electricity supply was resumed on September 15 after interference of the Stavropol city authorities, as the local website "1777.ru" reports.

"Electricity will be fed to the hostel; and the conflict will be completely exhausted. But for the future I'd really like to remind all the citizens that we live in an era of market economy, where all the services should be paid for. There's no need to bring the situation to this state of frustration," said Nikolai Paltsev, head of Stavropol.

The Stavropol prosecutor's office held a check and found those guilty, the "Interfax" reports.

"It is established that the apartment house is managed by the Municipal Unitary Enterprise (MUE) 'Zhilischnik', which has long-lasting debts for electricity before the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) 'Gorelektroseti'. In violation of the law, the 'Zhilischnik' failed to take measures to recover the arrears, which has affected those tenants who timely pay their utility bills," the press office of the Prosecutor's Office of the Stavropol Territory reports.

The founder of the MUE "Zhilischnik" is the city administration, whose duty is, among other things, to coordinate and regulate the operation of the enterprise.

An administrative case has been opened against the head of the MUE "Zhilischnik" under the article of "breaching the regulations on providing public utility services." The issue of criminal prosecution is being considered, the GTRK (State TV and Radio Company) "Stavropol" reports.