The former political prisoners in Tiraspol, Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov Popa and Ilie Ilascu, became honorary citizens of Chisinau. The decision was passed by 25 votes, most of the City Council members present at the meeting voting in favor. Under the regulations concerning the awarding of title of citizen of Chisinau, the four former political detainees will travel on municipal public transport free of charge and will be paid 50% of the cost of public utilities by the City Hall. Ghenadie Glusenco, head of the Territorial Administrative Control Division of the Ministry of Public Administration, said that the decision has financial implications and he will ask that it is cancelled after submitting a corresponding notification to the CMC. Valerii Climenco, representative of the Social-Political Movement “Ravnopravie” in CMC, the only councillor that was against conferring the title during debates, said that this distinction should be awarded only to the personalities of Chisinau and to international personalities. The initiative to name the four former Tiraspol prisoners as honorary citizens of Chisinau was put forward by the mayor of Chisinau early in August, after Andrei Ivantoc and Tudor Petrov Popa were released this July. President of Romania Traian Basescu in July honoured Andrei Ivantoc, Alexandru Ledco and Tudor Petrov Popa with the National Order “Romania’s Star”, knight title. Also, the three spent a long time in health spas in Romania. All the four members of the Ilascu group hold Romanian nationality, including EU citizenship from January 1, 2007.