MOSCOW, October 13 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russian government will not revise its decisions over higher tariffs of the natural monopolies, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a government presidium meeting on Thursday. “This is a principal position of the government that cannot be revised. Therefore, I consider as impermissible any statements by officials that some changes or sidesteps may be made,” he said
“I already heard it. I ask to stop it,” the prime minister told his colleagues. “I will reiterate that all the decisions taken on the utility tariffs are final,” Putin pointed out.
In September Putin said at a meeting of the governmental committee for budgetary projections that the gas utility tariffs will increase more than 15%, the electric supply tariffs will be adjusted to the inflation rate. Meanwhile, the tariffs will be raised not starting from January 1, 2012, but from July 1, 2012. He also elaborated that “the electric power consumption goes down in Russia in this season over the climate and the transition to a higher tariff for the consumers will be much milder,” and the tariff growth starting from January 1 used to “raise inflation concerns and speeds up the inflation rate from the very beginning of the year.”
Several media voiced doubts in recent articles over the decisions taken for higher utility tariffs.