Volzhskiy: about 350 people rally against increased tariffs and liquidation of marketplaces

The city of Volzhskiy, Volgograd Region, has hosted a rally under the slogan "No to raise utility tariffs and no to liquidation of marketplaces!" The rally adopted a resolution with a demand to check the work of power suppliers and management companies of Volzhskiy, declare a moratorium on growth of utility rates and food prices, and a protest against the policy of city authorities aimed to liquidate marketplaces because of the outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF).

Let us remind you that in July Volgograd increased tariffs on electricity by 6 percent, on gas - by 15 percent, on water supply and sewage - by 6 percent, on hot water supply - by 4.5 percent. Since September 1, the water supply and sewage increased by 4.53 percent more, on heat energy and hot heat - by 5.6 percent. The electricity tariff will remain same as after the 6 percent increase in July till the end of the year.

The September 9 rally in Volzhskiy, organized by the city branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), brought together about 350 people, and was supported by the public organization "People's Control in Housing Sector", Deputies of the Volzhskiy City Duma and ordinary citizens. People stood with posters "City authorities, turn your faces to housing!", "No to impoverishment of Volzhskiy!", "New law of physics: tariffs always grow!", "Swindlers, criminals, grabbers", "No to marketplace liquidation!", "Broad road to small businesses!", "Entrepreneur-beggar means empty budget!" and others. The rally was monitored by several policemen, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

"The tariffs set up today have no economic justification. Enterprises, where young people should work, are ruined. And the only way to fill in the city budget is to exploit the housing sector," said Vladimir Mishin, the chairman of the organization "People's Control in Housing Sector".

"In a normal society, if tariffs go up, they index salaries and pensions in parallel," said Vera Terentieva, the chair of the city trade union of workers of culture. "We see that it doesn't happen here."

Nikolai Starostenko, the secretary of the local branch of the CPRF, believes that "companies operating in the housing sector stick to the principle - tenants must pay, regardless whether the service was provided or not."

The rally also collected signatures against privatization of the water supply utilities, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

The participants of the rally adopted a resolution to be directed to the Governor of the Volgograd Region Bozhenov, Prime Minister of the Volgograd Region Khramov, Regional Prosecutor Churikov, head of Volzhskiy Afanasyeva, and the President and Prime Minister of Russia.

The resolution notes that "the total apartment utility bills exceed the floor salary, and sometimes - even the average salary earned by workers or the pensions received by retired veterans of labour."

The participants of the rally also demanded to audit the economic efficiency of the energy suppliers and management companies operating in Volzhskiy, strengthen the control over the quality of services, declare a moratorium on the growth of utility rates and increase in food prices. Other demands included cancellation of the September increase of utility rates, eliminate the system of management companies and get back to the control over the housing sector through territorial municipal bodies.