Lonely retirees give away 20 percent of pension for utilities
Find out what part of income Belarusians give away to cover utilities bills. The European Radio for Belarus posed tihs question to a young family. The wife works as a journalist with a state-owned newspaper. The husband, named Artsiom, works at a private firm. He told our radio that they pay Br130-140,000 for utilities in their one-bedroom flat.
This account for aroud 5 percent of a young family's budget.
But Zinaida Matusevich, a former teacher and currently a lonely retiree, told our radio that she pays Br75-90,000 per month for utilities bills in a small town of Vileyka. This makes 16-19 percent of her monthly pension package of Br478,000.
A family of pensioners in Pinsk are in the similar situation.
Mikalai Vasilyevich used to work at a thermal power plant, and his wife, Maria Siargeeuna, worked for a local furniture factory. The two of them get Br800,000 of pension per month.
They have to take away around Br80,000 from this amount to cover their utilities bills.
This account for aroud 5 percent of a young family's budget.
But Zinaida Matusevich, a former teacher and currently a lonely retiree, told our radio that she pays Br75-90,000 per month for utilities bills in a small town of Vileyka. This makes 16-19 percent of her monthly pension package of Br478,000.
A family of pensioners in Pinsk are in the similar situation.
Mikalai Vasilyevich used to work at a thermal power plant, and his wife, Maria Siargeeuna, worked for a local furniture factory. The two of them get Br800,000 of pension per month.
They have to take away around Br80,000 from this amount to cover their utilities bills.
