The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the procedure for compensating citizens' lost savings in the former USSR Savings Bank through the repayment of debts for housing and communal services. This was stated by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko at a press conference, reports "Ukrainian News."\n\n"Today we approved a procedure that makes it possible to realistically reduce people's debt for housing and communal services and thus return to them part of the unrecovered savings," said Tymoshenko.\n\nShe noted that she would sign this Cabinet resolution today and it would take effect from today.\n\nAt the same time, the prime minister emphasized that such compensation would be possible for citizens who pay their current housing and communal services bills promptly.\n\nIn addition, Tymoshenko reported that at today's meeting the government also approved the procedure for compensating citizens for lost savings in the former USSR Savings Bank, insurance contributions in the former State Insurance, as well as the purchase of bonds of the 1990 state material loan at the expense of 500 million hryvnias allocated in the state budget for this year.\n\nAs reported, the 2005 state budget provides 6 billion hryvnias in budget funds for compensation to depositors of the former USSR Savings Bank by writing off their debts for electricity and heat, gas, solid fuel, water supply and rent.\n\nThe norms for compensation of savings to former depositors, although provided for in the 2005 state budget, did not take effect until the Cabinet approved the procedure for the corresponding payments.