Councilor Ion Gabura of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (PPCD) has become chairman of the municipal commission for energy, communal service, transport and environment, at a meeting of the commission on Friday, August 8. At the same meeting, there were appointed several new members of the commission and its secretary. So, out of 9 members, 3 are Communist (PCRM) councilors, one is Social Democrat (PSD), and one represents the PPCD. The commission for energy, communal service, transport and environment is a new one, formed through the merger of two other – the commission for communal service and energy, whose chairman was councilor Oleg Cernei of the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN) Party, and the commission for energy, technical service, transport and communication, headed by Emil Gutul of PSD. The meeting agenda proposed by Cernei before he was removed from the post included debates on new water rates and considerations on annulling historical debts for public utilities owed by budget-paid employees. However, after the change in the make-up, the commission adjourned, leaving the agenda unfinished. According to Cernei, the change of the commission’s leadership is an attempt of the new coalition to take over the authority in the city. Furthermore, he said his dismissal had been illegal because the law states that the members of municipal commissions are appointed for the entire duration of their term in office as city councilors. In retort, City Council chair Eduard Musuc accused Cernei of practicing populism, arguing that the merger was necessary, because the two commissions dealt with similar matters. Also on Friday, the City Council decided to change its representatives in two municipality-owned companies – Apa-Canal and Speranta Unic – and change the members of their boards. Thus, Apa-Canal representative Mihai Severovan and board members Oleg Cernei (AMN), Gheorghe Brega (PL) and Ghenadie Dumanschi (PLDM) were replaced with Eduard Musuc, and respectively, Eugen Baleca (PCRM), Eugenia Starcea (PPCD) and Sergiu Cires (PUM). Speranta Unic representative was named Valerii Pavlov (PCRM) in place of Emil Gutul (PSD), while board members Valerii Pavlov and Mihai Adauge (PPCD) replaced Mihai Carlig (PL) and Alexandru Robu (AMN).