The budgetary parameters approved in the 2024 State Budget Law for the Chisinau municipal budget didn’t decrease, but increased. Thus, the volume of transfers from the state budget to the Chisinau municipal budget for 2024 grew by about 39.5 million lei compared to the parameters stipulated in the first circular of August 2023. The clarification was made by the Ministry of Finance in response to the statements by the mayor of Chisinau Ion Ceban, IPN reports.

“In connection with the accusations made  by the mayor general of Chisinau regarding the circular on the approval of the State Budget Law, the Ministry of Finance reminds that this document is transmitted every year immediately after the Budget Law is published in the Official Gazette, respecting the regulations stipulated in the legal framework, the Law on Public Finance and Budgetary-Fiscal Responsibility. This circular informs about the measures that are to be taken by the local authorities following the adoption and publication of the 2024 State Budget Law,” the Ministry of Finance said in a press release.

As for the fiscal budget policy for 2024, the Ministry said that the Law was approved in July 2023, respecting all public consultation procedures.

One day earlier, mayor Ion Ceban said that the municipality of Chisinau contributes 23 billion lei to the state budget and gets back only 2.8 billion lei or about 13%. “I declare with full responsibility that the central authorities’ refusal to redirect what lawfully belongs to the Chisinau City Hall, to the inhabitants of the capital city, through financial support, and the obliging of the Chisinau City Hall to carry out the projects dictated by the ruling party, without financial coverage, make the municipal authorities to resort to spending cuts in the new year. I repeat, during the past year and a half alone, this noxious government has placed a financial burden of over 1.3 billion lei on Chisinau’s shoulders, stated Ion Ceban.