Chisinau mayor will oppose any rise in minibus fare

Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca has said the City Hall will oppose any rise in the transportation charge for the passenger minibuses, arguably the second most popular means of public conveyance in Chisinau. According to the Mayor, Chisinau residents can't afford more than the current 3 lei ($0.25) fare, Info-Prim Neo reports. Chirtoaca called the carriers' claim that the measure is required in response to rising fuel prices as “groundless”, arguing that they didn't lower the fare when the fuel prices went down on previous occasions. Chisinau's transportation chief Veaceslav Tarna also described the claim as “manipulation unsubstantiated by figures”, adding that not all the carriers supported the change, aware that a rise might scare away passengers. With the rise in fuel prices, the carriers' daily expenses have risen by only 30 lei ($2.45), Tarna estimated. As fuel prices at the pump rose in Chisinau last week, there have been reports that minibus fares might increase, too, by 1 or even 2 lei. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, Ion Mamaliga, president of the Private Carriers' Association, said minibus fares would stay unchanged at least until summer.