Novak: gas payment arrears at 216.7 bln rubles on June 1, 86.8 bln rubles in North Caucasus
MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - Payment arrears for gas supplied to customers in Russia totaled 216.7 billion rubles as of June 1, of which the North Caucasus Federal District accounted for 86.8 billion rubles, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said at a government meeting on Thursday.
The payment arrears increased by 33.3 billion rubles in the first five months of 2016, he said.
"With the goal of strengthening payment discipline, at the Energy Ministry's initiative, a federal law on strengthening payment discipline that stipulates increased financial responsibility of consumers, provision of financial guarantees and stiffening administrative liability, was approved at the end of last year. We are now working to draft the subordinate statutes," he said.
