The president of the Chisinau Private Carriers Association has been arrested today in his office as he was receiving 300 euros from the owner of a minibus on route no.105, allegedly in exchange for his permission to keep the bus on the route. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, Ion Mamaliga denounced it as “pure provocation”. “I have no comment on it. All I can say is that it's pure provocation, a fabrication, and I'm determined to prove this very soon. But now as I'm bound by a written pledge not to influence the investigation in any way, I cannot tell you anything”, he stated. However, he went on to link the arrest to his recent activity: “Lately I have resisted protests against the intention to raise minibus fares. I have been a very active opponent”. Mamaliga now faces bribe-taking charges which carry punishments including fines or up to 7 years in prison.