Deputy Mayor of Chisinau Nistor Grozavu abrogated the ordinance by which Mayor General Dorin Chirtoaca last December ordered to suspend the work of the placement center “Vatra” for the period of the investigation into the death of a child.

Contacted by IPN, acting head of the municipal Children’s Rights Protection Division Rodica Terehovski said the center hasn’t been yet reopened as repair works are now being carried out there. When it is reopened, the center will accommodate 20 children who remained without parental care.

Rodica Terehovski considers another type of center, of national level, should be set up for street children. However, in emergencies, children found on the street could be lodged at “Vatra”.

Acting prosecutor of Chisinau municipality Vitalie Sibov has told IPN that the investigation into the case of death at the center “Vatra” continues. More details will be made public towards the end of this month. Two persons are being investigated outside remand detention in this case – the center’s director and an assistant.

At the beginning of last December, a child aged 11 was found dead in a room of the center one day after he was brought there. It was preliminarily determined that the boy was poisoned by carbon monoxide in the room where he was locked. A criminal case over deprivation of liberty, intentional murder and abuse of power was started then.