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He gave his opinion during an appearance on Zakarpattia's local M-Studio television channel on Wednesday. Incompetent state officials want to make the public responsible for solving Ukraine's economic problems by increasing housing utility and gas fees, Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych has said.

He gave his opinion during an appearance on Zakarpattia's local M-Studio television channel on Wednesday.

Commenting on the decision of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission to increase the gas fees for the public by 20%, Yanukovych said that the municipal companies can't work properly under conditions in which no state program is being carried out.

He said that the government has given up on the development of regional infrastructure objects, including those in the housing utility sector.

Yanukovych said that if gas prices were to be increased for both municipal companies and the public, this would be a double mistake.

He added that the municipal companies haven't yet prepared for winter and the heating season.

"We may expect serious problems during the heating season," he said, adding that although the public will pay their bills, they might not get the services, as the municipal companies won't be able to provide them.