Press Release, July 15, 2013

On July 10, the Bureau of the YABLOKO party adopted a statement in connection with skyrocketing growth of tariffs on housing and
utilities payments in Russia.

From July 1, 2013, utility tariffs grew; whereas their growth exceeded inflation in 2012 by two times.

Russian officials have been repeatedly talking about restricting growth of utility tariffs. At the beginning of 2013 President Putin
said that the utility payments increase should not exceed six percent. However, the promises were not fulfilled.

The key tariff is the gas tariff. The Government and the President have been talking about the same prices for the gas monopolist Gazprom in selling gas in the domestic market and in foreign markets neglecting the fact that Russian citizens’ wages are several times
lower compared to the EU. Consequently, Russian citizens have to pay for the gas much more money than the people in other countries that do not have oil and gas deposits. The same refers to other utilities and gasoline, runs YABLOKO Bureau’s statement.

YABLOKO also notes that “monopolists are always interested in overstating the costs and will always prove to the state that they
can’t provide their goods and services at a lower price”.

The Bureau of the YABLOKO party demands that the authorities must lower gas tariffs by 30 per cent and review other utilities tariffs
taking into consideration the gas tariff. YABLOKO notes that a transfer to new methods of formation of tariffs is needed. Such
methods should encourage lowering of the costs and economising of resources rather than their overstating. After an independent audit the monopolist must prove to the society that its costs are true. Decisions referring to tariffs should be adopted by a collegial body which should by 50 per cent consist of representatives of consumers.