Oleh Popenko, Chairman of the Board of the Union of Consumers of Public Utilities, has stated that Ukrainian households' debts for utility services have led to tariff increases. Popenko estimates that the debt may be up to 130 billion Ukrainian hryvnias, which is preventing utilities from carrying out repairs and motivating employees. Most utility companies are using the debts of previous periods as the basis for forming the economic value of the tariff, resulting in tariff increases. Popenko suggests that the increase may occur as early as April, although the government has not yet made any official decisions on this issue. The Cabinet of Ministers acknowledges that the tariff increase is necessary, and is confident that targeted subsidies for vulnerable groups of the population can offset social tensions.