Volodin blamed privatizers from the “nineties” for utility accidents, but did not name names
Due to ineffective owners and lazy officials in Russia, the number of accidents on municipal networks is growing.
Speaker of Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin stated this at a plenary meeting of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We receive many complaints about the inefficient operation of public utilities, structures that are supposed to provide citizens with heat.
Let's take this issue under control. Because we must admit that the condition of generating capacities, thermal power plants and state district power plants, is not always at the proper level. Those who privatized these capacities in the nineties make a profit, but do not think that modernization is necessary,” Volodin said.
He emphasized that officials at the municipal and regional level, as well as relevant ministries, are responsible for housing and communal services.
“But we must admit that we, on our part, are not doing enough.
It is unacceptable that these issues go unaddressed and people suffer as a result. The temperature in houses drops to sub-zero. This applies to hospitals and children's institutions. Let's not stand by.
Look, the president is taking control of the issue - the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the head of state. Where are the relevant ministries? The government copes with its responsibilities quite effectively. But as for ministries and departments, they could work much better.
Where is the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services, where are their proposals? The same accidents in the regions, they should have prompted a minister or deputy to submit proposals to the State Duma long ago. But they are not there.
Therefore, if the ministry is not responsible in resolving this issue, networks will continue to break, and boilers will continue to fail.
Because many owners not only do not invest in modernization, but also feel comfortable being in warm countries,” added the speaker of parliament.
To solve the problem, he proposed to assemble a working group from deputies, which would have to prepare proposals.
Volodin blamed the privatizers of the 1990s for utility accidents, but did not name them.