Compensations for heat might be maintained this winter – Chisinau Mayor

Mayor General of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca does not exclude the possibility of maintaining the compensations for heat for the upcoming winter. The compensations are offered to the entire population by covering the increase from MDL 233 to MDL 540 in the heat tariff from the local budget. According to him, this decision is however the responsibility of the Chisinau Municipal Council which could examine several options, among which the maintenance of the present situation, compensating only a part of the tariff increase or paying compensations only to the socially disadvantaged strata of population. Also, CMC will examine the situation related to the creation and payment of the debts of City Hall to “Termocom”. The debts of MDL 151 mln were accumulated after paying compensations to the entire population. At the same time, the local councillors might examine the possibility of increasing the tariff for heat, because “Termocom” is already asking to raise the present tariff of MDL 540 to MDL 613 in order to adjust the tariff to the increased price of electric power. The mayor pleaded for offering compensations for heat only to the socially disadvantaged persons, who have incomes lower or equal with the minimum consumption basket. “We are eager to pay the nominative compensations and to create the necessary mechanism”, the mayor says. Chirtoaca mentioned that in case a mechanism for paying nominative compensations for the socially disadvantaged persons is approved, the City Hall will increase the personnel of the Social Assistance Department or will even create a special structure for those several thousand applications, which are estimated to be submitted by the population. At the same time, the mayor says that it is not the responsibility of the local administration to socially support the population, but of the Government, fact stipulated in the Law on nominative compensations of 2002.