10 houses in Chisinau cannot get connected to gas pipe 'because of corruption': dwellers

The dwellers of ten houses on Ghica Voda street in Chisinau has been trying to connect their dwellings to the gas pipe for 10 years. Three of them complained that all their attempts have failed “because of the corruption at Chisinau-Gaz”, Info-Prim Neo reports. At a news conference on November 25, Valeriu Petcu said the dwellers collected the money back in 1997 to project and build a gas pipe. The money was collected by a neighbor “former police commissar with relations at the Chisinau City Hall and at Chisinau-Gaz”. But, Petcu claims, that neighbor connected a nearby sauna instead, on the money of his neighbors. Although Chisinau-Gaz replied them that the pressure was too weak in nearby pipes, the house of the police commissar's son has been connected recently, Petcu said. The dwellers have appealed to the court to solve their problem, but lost the cases. Then they wrote letters to the Moldovan president and the Chisinau mayor. The dwellers say they can cover for all the costs to bring the gas to their homes, but “are hampered by Chisinau-Gaz”. “The hindrance from Chisinau-gaz is the corruption. Unless you give a bribe, an envelope with 5,000 euros, you don't get connected,” Valeriu Petcu said. Chisinau-Gaz's manager was not found to comment the accusations. Sources from his secretariat have told Info-Prim Neo says the company does not have a press unit or a PR official.