You're reading: President signs law on fines for late payment of utility bills

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has signed a bill into law under which Ukrainian citizens will be fined for the late payment of housing and utilities bills starting from January 1, 2011.

A relevant law on amendments to the law on a temporary ban on imposing penalties on Ukrainian citizens for the late payment of utility bills was signed by the head of state and posted on the presidential Web site on Tuesday.

The new law is to cancel a ban introduced on October 1, 1996 on imposing penalties on Ukrainian citizens for failing to pay rent and utility bills due to the late payment by the state of salaries, pensions, scholarships and other monetary payments. Fines for delays in housing and utilities payments will be charged for new debts starting from January 1, 2011.

The new law was passed by parliament on December 17, 2010 with 255 votes. The parliament also obliged the Cabinet of Ministers to pay off the arrears of salaries, pensions, scholarships and other monetary payments within six months.