The President of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Darinko Kosor, stated today at a press conference in the Zagreb City Assembly, on behalf of the HSLS Club and the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), that today’s session should have opened a discussion on the upcoming increase in heating costs, rather than on issues that do not interest citizens.
We expect that this will be discussed at the next assembly session, said Kosor. According to the decision of the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency, after the Croatian Parliament passes the energy law, more than 100,000 citizens are soon expecting a 37 percent increase in thermal energy at the beginning of the heating season, and in the coming days, around 30 percent higher gas bills are also expected, Kosor warned.
He asserted that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Radimir Čačić deceived citizens in May of this year when he said that, after the increase in electricity and gas prices, there would be no further increases in energy costs.
Kosor proposed to the city administration to work with the Croatian Electric Company (HEP) to find a solution for those more than 100,000 citizens in order to mitigate the impact of the price increase by installing heat allocators, so that they can save and pay only for what they consume.
The City Gas Company profits from citizens and it should also be examined whether the City can influence the gas price with distributors to mitigate the increase. This way, we would help citizens solve problems, not create them, said Kosor, noting that local government units have been disempowered and no longer decide on thermal energy prices.
