On December 21, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a draft law No. 5722 “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Provision of Commercial Gas Metering” regarding the procedure for the meters installation for natural gas consumers”. The document was approved in principle and supported by 325 votes.
“The deputies have come to their senses as they have realized that people simply would not forgive the leaders of the factions, who, on the one hand, claim to protect ordinary citizens, but on the other – allow gas monopolists to legally disconnect consumers of natural gas,” said the Head of the UKROP political council, MP Taras Batenko, commenting on the adoption of the law.
According to him, this can be called a brilliant victory of the session hall over the oligarchs’ gas lobby who sought to fail the bill. “This is the good that we give to people, the positive that we would like to end the year with,” said the UKROP member.
The draft law on commercial gas metering forbids gas distribution companies to install utility meters without consent of the co-owners of multi-apartment buildings. In addition, the document provides for the possibility of compensation for the installation of individual meters by gas suppliers.
After the law come into force, the deadline for the installation of meters for household consumers is prolonged until January 1, 2021.
On December 19, parliament failed to vote for the draft law No. 5722-d “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Provision of Commercial Gas Metering” regarding the procedure for the meters installation for natural gas consumers”.
Then, for the adoption of the document the deputies’ votes were deficient, despite the fact that the profile committee recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the legislative initiative in principle and in general.
The bill was jointly developed by the representatives of different factions of Parliament, with participation of the MPs from UKROP.
Earlier, the members of the inter-faction union UKROP had withdrawn from Parliament their own version of the bill on individual gas meters in favor of a consolidated document, which was more likely to get a sufficient number of votes.
