This is how the situation surrounding the increase in housing and communal services tariffs in the city of Lutsk is characterized by the head of the Volyn organization of the "Reforms and Order" party, Oleksandr Martyniuk. In his opinion, the economic policy of the leadership and apparatus of the Lutsk city executive committee is inept, because "tariffs should have been optimized gradually," Oleksandr Ivanovych is convinced. The city executive committee headed by Mayor Kryvytskyi watched for months as energy carrier prices rose, the minimum wage increased, and wage arrears in the housing and communal services sector grew, and only just before the New Year holidays did they decide to give Lutsk residents a "gift" – simultaneously adopting a decision to raise all the main tariffs for housing and communal services. On the other hand – the position of the party and the "Batkivshchyna" faction in the Lutsk city council. Having chosen the most painful issue today, they are trying to play on the moods of Lutsk residents at the level of primitive demagogy. "Then let's just stop paying for communal services altogether," Oleksandr Martyniuk remarks ironically, "maybe we'll start demanding free distribution of goods in stores too...We shouldn't take Lutsk residents for fools, they are wise people and know how to distinguish concern for people from populism and irresponsibility."