A number of mayors are concerned that with the recent hike in gas tariffs their administrations won’t be able to pay the heating bills for kindergartens and other public establishments.

Valentina Casian, mayor of Strășeni municipality, told IPN she shares the worries of fellow local administrators. “The city hall’s economist is now crunching the numbers and I think we’ll ask the Government to cover the difference in the bills”.

Lilia Corjița, director of kindergarten no. 4 in Strășeni, says she hopes the Government will find the necessary funds to keep the kindergartens working through the winter.

Lilian Țapu, mayor of Colicăuți village in Briceni district, noted that local kindergartens are funded with money that come from the central budget. He thinks the town hall will be able to cover the gas bills until the end of the year by dipping into savings, but beginning with January Țapu hopes the Government will increase subsidies and possibly compensate local budgets for the losses due to the higher tariffs.

Simion Tatarov, mayor of Rezina, says that besides utility bills, the town hall owes educators in four kindergartens 1.5 million lei in salary arrears. “The Government not only should consider this, it’s its duty and responsibility to cover additional expenses in funding kindergartens. Moldova’s districts and localities don’t have genuine local autonomy and decentralization”, said Simion Tatarov.

During a press conference on Monday, Regional Development Minister Andrei Spînu said he was aware of the concerns. “We will analyze exactly what kind of intervention is needed and will surely intervene where necessary. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for analyzing the funding needs”.