RIGA, May 31 (LETA) - In the next heating season, the number of recipients of social benefits might grow four times, said Economics Minister Ilze Indriksone (National Alliance) in an interview with commercial TV3 television today.

"There will be municipalities where the number of recipients of social benefits will not only double, but grow fourfold," the new minister said.

She said that first of all those will be municipalities where heating is generated by natural gas primarily, and the biggest concerns are about Rezekne municipality.

Indriksone said that the ministry is working on support instruments. "We already had support instruments aimed at the most expensive heating last season. This means that the state will help some group of people who will see the most extreme tariff hike, partly compensating their heating bills," the minister said.

As reported, last heating seasons, the state supported households in those municipalities where there were extreme hike of heating tariffs over EUR 68 per MWh.