On New Year's Eve, all the decorative lights in the capital city will remain connected. However, on the night of January 2, the decorative lighting will be turned off throughout the city, except for the light bulbs on the Christmas tree in the Great National Assembly Square and in the Cathedral Square, mayor general of Chisinau municipality Ion Ceban announced, quoted by IPN.
According to the mayor, the decorative light bulbs on the Christmas tree downtown and in the Cathedral Square will be on until January 14. They will be switched on together with the street lighting and will be on by 11:30 p.m. "We took this decision because the economic agents accepted to participate in the Christmas Fair, and we honor our commitments. The people incurred particular expenses," said the mayor.
Ion Ceban noted that, given that Chisinau does not possess clear information, like other local public authorities do, the municipality will gradually take measures to switch off the electricity, starting with January 1. "I carefully read the CES (Commission for Emergency Situations, e.n.) decision and understood that we have to periodically turn off the lights, but the intervention actions in one situation or another are not clearly described, but we have not had separate discussions about how we will act in the capital city of the Republic of Moldova, where we have over 300 trolleybuses, 350 schools and kindergartens, hospitals, polyclinics, strategic enterprises, street lighting and traffic lights," stated the mayor.
According to Ion Ceban, two years ago, the Chisinau City Hall took the decision, at the request and recommendations of the Government, to later turn on the street lighting and to turn it off early in the morning. But this measure proved unsafe on the streets, in parks and in yards, for both pedestrians and drivers, and thefts even started to be committed in the suburbs. Following discussions with the police, it was decided to return to the usual schedule as people's safety is a priority.
