The report of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) on private citizens’ falling debts in utility payments shows that the 2013 cuts of utility costs continue to help the everyday life of Hungarians, state secretary Szilárd Németh said. Between 2013 and 2018, private arrears on electricity declined by 45%, on gas by 75% and on district heating by 35%, Németh, who is also deputy head of the ruling Fidesz party, said. The MEKH report said on Saturday that private citizens’ debts have fallen to 33 billion forints (EUR 102.1m) by 2018 from 73 billion in 2013, when the government launched its utility cost cut programme. The government utility cost cuts have left some 1,400 billion forints with private consumers, saving the average family about 170,000 forints a year, Németh said.