The candidates for mayor of Chisinau considered the Nistru problem that resides in the risk of the capital city remaining without drinking water owing to Ukraine’s intention to build six hydropower plants on the river. Alexandra Can of the PNL and Andrei Nastase of the PPPDA said the municipality should contribute to solving this problem, while Ion Ceban of the PSRM noted this is a state problem and cannot be dealt with at municipal level, IPN reports.

In electoral debates on TV8 channel, Alexandra Can said the Chisinau City Hall cannot stay aside. She will consult experts to see what can be done over this problem is she is elected mayor. “We will sensitize the public opinion, the press and will take all the possible measures to prevent an ecological catastrophe as regards the supply of the inhabitants of Chisinau with drinking water,” noted the candidate.

Andrei Nastase said the PPPDA reacted to Ukraine’s intention to build six hydropower plants on the Nistru among the first. Some 85% of the municipality of Chisinau is supplied with water from the Nistru and such a project would endanger the population’s life. “What we suggest is to vehemently oppose such an intention together with environmental experts so that this is not done to the people’s detriment. We also aim to modernize the water and sewer pipelines, including by attracting funds from the development partners,” he stated.

For his part, Ion Ceban said the given problem is an interstate one and the building of hydropower plants on the Nistru in Ukraine cannot be discussed at the level of Chisinau municipality. “I’m sure that the government will be changed this year and we will have other kinds of discussions at the level of intergovernmental commissions. The state problems cannot be solved by a city mayor,” he noted.

The new local mayoral elections in Chisinau will take place on May 20.