The mayor general of the municipality of Chisinau Ion Ceban is paving the way for the urban public transport fares to be increased to 6-7 lei by the end of this year, PAS municipal councilors stated in a news conference. They said the mayor tries to persuade the local councilors to approve the rises. He promises Zonal Urbanistic Plans to some and benefits, such as places in boards of joint stock companies and municipal enterprises, to others. For his part, Vladimir Mitru, adviser to the mayor, said the fares haven’t been adjusted since 2009 and the fuel prices increased meanwhile. The salaries also rose and the purchasing power of the citizens is bigger. The real cost of a trip by public transport is now 14 lei, IPN reports.
Roman Cojuhari, the head of the PAS group on the Chisinau Municipal Council, said that no mayor during the 30 years of independence verified the correctness of the figures based on which money is allocated to the Chisinau Bus Company and the Chisinau Electric Transport Company. “Ion Ceban didn’t do this either and, as a result, in 2021 alone the City Hall allocated over 450 million lei, which is almost one fourth of the city’s budget intended for investments, to the two companies,” said the councilor, noting that in 2022, the two companies are to get 700 million lei.
Zinaida Popa, deputy head of the PAS group on the CMC, noted that they ask the mayor to carry out an audit at the two companies, but he ignores them or makes reference to the partnership with Liublin city within which such an audit will be conducted in an indefinite future. But the sum of 700 million lei is higher than the costs that would have been incurred for performing the audit.
In reaction, the adviser to the mayor of Chisinau Vladimir Mitru said a decision on the bus and minibus fares will be taken by the CMC not by the mayor. He reminded that a number of categories of passengers travel by public transport free of charge. “We must help the people, but depending on their incomes and costs,” stated the adviser.
A trip by trolleybus in Chisinau now costs 2 lei, while by bus – 3 lei.
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