The Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC) on Thursday, October 11, agreed to transfer an additional 33 million lei to the heat supplier Termocom for debts resulted from the city authorities’ obligation to cover part of the costs for heat. The issue concerning the abrogation of the tariff of 540 lei, labelled ‘exaggerated’ by the local authorities, was excluded from the agenda. Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu said the issue could be reconsidered at one of the next meetings. In his words, CMC didn’t give up the idea to annul this tariff, but, following talks with Termocom, the city authorities decided to clear part of the debt so as not to set back the start of the heating season. Termocom commercial director Mihai Arusoi said the household consumers can rest assured that for now the price for heat will remain unchanged, i.e. 233 lei per G-calorie, with the remaining costs to be covered by the city coffers. Arusoi further stated that before re-examining the heating charge, the councillors and City Hall officials are expected at Termocom for frank discussions, so that they could learn first-hand about the financial situation of the company and think twice before making decisions that would jeopardise the heating in the city. Today’s CMC meeting was a follow-up to the one held yesterday, at which the councillors engaged in heated discussions over the tariff of 540 lei for heat set by the former city authorities and considered by the incumbent ones as exaggerated. Several speakers said they had evidence showing that Termocom cheated when asking a price of 540 lei. According to them, in fact the heating costs do not exceed 430 lei.