Help has arrived, but not for everyone... 0 10

At the upcoming meeting, the government will review an information report on the results of the heating season. The record cold winter has led to a significant increase in heating costs. To prevent residents from falling into debt, municipalities have urged the leaders of their municipal and private heating enterprises not to impose penalties for unpaid utility bills. Most enterprises have agreed to do this, including in Riga, where the bills for the winter months were very high! "For its part, JSC Rīgas SILTUMS has decided to suspend the accrual of penalties stipulated in the contracts for the period from December 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, on all overdue payments for supplied thermal energy. At the same time, JSC RĪGAS SILTUMS announced that penalties unpaid as of December 31, 2025, will be canceled if the client pays the principal debt for the period until the end of April 2026 by May 31, 2026," the information report prepared by the Ministry of Economics states. The largest municipal housing service enterprise, "Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks," also decided to forgo penalties. The document also mentions the expansion of the circle of households that could apply for housing assistance and the reduction of electricity payments for low-income individuals... However, the report lacks figures on the total debt of the population for utility services at least for the winter months and what the government plans to do to prevent further increases in utility payments in light of the potential rise in all energy resources due to the crisis in the Persian Gulf.