The administrators of minibus routes demand that the trips by minibuses in the municipality of Chisinau should cost 5 to 10 lei, up from 3 lei at present. The Chisinau Electric Transport Company requests to increase the trolleybus fares to 3 lei, while the Urban Bus Company asks for a fare of 4 lei. A draft decision to this effect is to be examined at public debates and will be then submitted to the Chisinau Municipal Council for approval.
Contacted by IPN, Lilian Copaci, section head at the General Public Transport and Communications Division of Chisinau, said some types of season tickets would also grow more expensive, including those intended for students. Particular categories of passengers would continue to travel free of charge.
Socialist councilor Ion Ceban said their group will ask for an audit at the Chisinau Electric Transport Company and the Urban Bus Company. “We can have discussions on the fares only after an audit. We know that the money is managed badly. We think there are many options for optimizing costs,” stated Ion Ceban.
Liberal councilor Ion Cebanu noted the Liberal group will be very attentive, especially to the requests made by private carriers, which should improve the working conditions. “The City Hall asked this for many times, but nothing was done. We do not hurry to raise fares. The given issue should be broadly debated,” he said.
Ruslan Codreanu, of the Electoral Bloc “European People’s Platform of Moldova – Iurie Leanca”, said they will insist on broad debates. The municipal transport companies are inefficient and their management should be improved. “The rise in fares should not be the last step. An audit is firstly needed at the municipal enterprises. Today, when tens of thousands of lei do not reach the budgets of the Chisinau Electric Transport Company and the Urban Bus Company, but someone else’s pockets, this is nothing but humiliation of the population,” he stated.
Councilor of “Our Party” Ilian Casu said the arguments provided by the transport operators are not plausible. “We are obliged to treat this issue from the perspective of the revenues of the inhabitants of Chisinau. We will soon present materials showing how Gheorghe Morgoci (Chisinau Electric Transport Company chief, e.n.) wastes the municipal funds. We earlier asked for audit reports from this company to see how the money is managed, but didn’t get some. Only when we have a clear picture and a transparent and open process, will we speak about fare increases,” stated Ilian Casu.
Unaffiliated councilor Ion Stefanita said the managers of these companies should present a plan of action to show how they will manage the affairs so as not to sustain losses, but to make profit. For the fares to be increased, the carriers should first improve the comfort of passengers. “I’m for raising fares on condition that a reform is done at these enterprises,” stated Ion Stefanita.
On August 24, the General Public Transport and Communications Division said a decision on the rise in public transport fares in Chisinau municipality was drafted. In the course of September, this will be subject to public debates and will be then put to the vote in the Municipal Council.
