‘Early in August 2009, Nizhniy Tagil’s for-profit enterprises owed us over 35 million RUR for the supplied electricity. We have got eighty-six debtors in the city at the moment,’ Tagilenergo Municipal Unitary Enterprise’s Deputy Director for Economics and Finance Olga Kraeva announced at a meeting dedicated to the debts the electricity supplier cannot seem to collect.

‘It’s true that thanks to the city council’s personal efforts, some progress has been made, but the debt paying-off rate is still very slow. Only six for-profit companies have paid off their electricity debts in full so far. All in all, 3.14 million RUR have been collected from the local businesses this August,’ Kraeva said.

‘In fact, our greatest debtors and the companies which, in their turn, are unable to get paid for the goods and services they have delivered to Uralvagonzavod Scientific and Production Enterprise. Then, we have some problems with organizations whose activity entirely depends on the regional budget balance,’ she added.