According to Regnum, the debts in the housing sector have increased by 30 percent to a total of more than 200 billion RUB in 2009. About half of that debts come on the population and the remaining part on companies and other registered legal units. -I would not say that the debts situation is out of control, however it is close to that, Minister Basargin said in a meeting on Russian housing issues this week. He underlined that paying for services and local resources is the main link in the municipal chain and that the debts problem would lead to a social collapse. Such cases were evident also last fall and winter, when the local population and companies several places did not pay for municipal services. That resulted in subsequent liquidity problems for the housing service companies, which became unable to pay for heating fuel. Minister Basargin now calls on all municipalities to carefully monitor the local debts situation and elaborate debt downpayment plans if needed, Regnum reports with reference to Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
