Residents of Baikonur were horrified by extortions for housing and communal services: disaster awaits in winter

In total, the debt of consumers for the supplied heat energy, electricity, water supply and sanitation is more than 882 million rubles, of which the debt of the population is more than 596 million rubles.

In turn, the financial situation does not allow Baikonurenergo, which is responsible for this area, to timely pay the debt to Kazakhstani suppliers of fuel oil and electricity.

Settlement accounts of the enterprise are arrested.

Compulsory collection of all incoming funds to pay off debts to suppliers is carried out.

The company asks consumers to pay their debts immediately. Otherwise, everything may end with the disconnection of services to citizens.

– Everything is so, we are preparing for the worst, – one of the inhabitants of the legendary city told MK, the man has worked in space for over 30 years. – But we, the indigenous people of Baikonur, are not to blame for anything. We all pay on time. In any case, the majority. But now we have many citizens of Kazakhstan who have moved to Baikonur, to apartments vacated after the Russians moved to Russia, so they most often do not pay the communal flat on principle.

– Why?

– They believe that Baikonur is theirs, and therefore they are not obliged. And the Kazakhstani authorities in this matter cannot for some reason influence the situation. This is what happens. In fact, everything is very unfair. The prices for a communal apartment are fantastic, and even constantly growing, all year round we already pay for heating from 2 thousand rubles. a month or more, and heating is provided in November, turned off in March, and the batteries are barely warm all winter, you have to connect individual electric stoves, as a result, the bills are simply terrible. But I must say that the overall state of the infrastructure is critical. Probably, in the winter we will have, as in Ekibastuz.

– Where is it?

– This is a city in the Pavlodar region. Last year in their apartments it was no higher than 11-13 degrees. In November, dilapidated pipes broke through, and in a 30-degree frost, the heating was turned off. There was no hot water in the houses, and due to the increased voltage, power outages began. Patients from hospitals were urgently evacuated to Pavlodar. Families huddled in one room to keep warm, there was mold on the walls, and the bills were gigantic. And the authorities, as they even wrote in our media, brought heaters for a short time for rent, and then took them back. I’m afraid that in the current state of affairs Baikonur will face a similar fate.

– Do many people return to Russia?

– Yes, the outflow of specialists continues, only last year 500 people left, this year they are also leaving. Those who have received certificates for housing, nothing keeps them here. We’ll probably move on in a year too. It became impossible to live here. Yes, we are paid a salary, but food prices are 3 times too high, in Moscow, in relation to income, they are cheaper than here. A kilogram of potatoes is 60 rubles, meat is 600-700 rubles, tomatoes are 100 rubles, for many these are unbearable amounts. The locals are happy that the city is emptying, but they don’t understand one thing, that if Russia completely leaves Baikonur, then it has no future. Kazakhstan could not cope with Ekibastuz, but here they will simply be left to die, we understand that they are needed only for the sake of a rent of 113 million dollars a year, and they are unlikely to want to invest in infrastructure. What to do here, to be honest, when there is no cosmodrome? Nothing. By the way, not so long ago, another problem arose for the Russians living in Baikonur.

– Which?

– Temporary residence permit should be done more often. Previously, they gave a migration card for 3 months, now only for a month, and the terms are summed up. Before leaving Baikonur, we are obliged to make a temporary residence permit, a crowd of people in the migration service, people queue up at 6 in the morning. In accordance with paragraph 5 of Appendix No. 3 to the lease agreement for the Baikonur complex between the government of the Russian Federation and the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the space center personnel and family members cross the border between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan upon presentation of documents proving their identity and belonging to the space center personnel. In addition, they force you to issue a Kazakh IIN, otherwise you won’t get a TRP. This is an individual identification number that is assigned to citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan from birth, an analogue of the Russian TIN. You can leave the territory for 180 days a year, whoever does not meet it will be fined.

– How does Russia assist in alleviating the situation of Baikonur residents?

I don’t think anyone really knows about this. We do not build illusions that our problems are needed by someone other than ourselves.

Here is how this difficult situation is described in local publics.

Survival City! How zadolbali all, the rent is raised twice a year, groceries at crazy prices! Salary is stable! It stays in one place!”

“I think that most citizens of housing and communal services just pay. But what happens to the water supply system? They only change those sections where accidents occur …. Until Kazakhstan is given back, the system “to make candy out of shit” will continue to operate … “

“You write until Kazakhstan is given back, but does Kazakhstan need Baikonur? What is produced here? Their cities freeze in winter.”

“Citizens, tell me! We are leaving for permanent residence in Russia, what about the apartment? I don’t have the ability or desire to pay the rent. Will it be possible to apply for an extract from Baikonur at a new place? Will there be any claims? Will they begin to accrue a communal apartment until you submit an application for deregistration?

“I demand recalculation for housing and communal services debts. Money is withheld from each salary 50%!!! And there is allegedly no receipts, for the provision of documents that we have already paid for everything, they say that this is not proof that the debt has been repaid!!! The money disappears, the debt only increases in the ticket!!! So, can you sort out this mess? Then the debts will become less ?!

But there are also optimistic comments (they are, however, few), appealing to the dashing 90s, when complete devastation reigned in Baikonur. Like, nothing now.

“Remember how we used to live – the lights were constantly turned off, we sat by candlelight, there was no heating. There were difficult times. But they passed. And now, sooner or later, it will get better. I am sure that Russia will not leave us.”

Due to the current situation, the head of the city administration, Konstantin Busygin, introduced a high-alert mode on the territory of Baikonur for the authorities and forces of the emergency prevention and response system. On June 13, the mayor announced that in order to reduce the cost of heating, the Baikonur Thermal Power Plant (TPP) was planned to be switched to natural gas. But by 2026. And how to survive the coming winter?

Local media note that over the past few years the city administration has repeatedly appealed to the authorized federal bodies (the RF Ministry of Finance, the RF Ministry of Economic Development) with letters about the need to resolve and overcome the crisis. However, the issue has not yet been resolved.

Recall that the Baikonur complex, which includes the cosmodrome and the city of the same name, operates on the basis of a lease agreement between the governments of the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan dated December 10, 1994. As part of the agreement of January 9, 2004, this period was extended until 2050. Now 57 thousand inhabitants live in the city.