Court orders Chisinau authorities to issue license to casino chain

The Calarasi District Court ordered the Chisinau City Hall to issue a 24-hour license to a chain of gambling establishments. However, municipal lawyers say the decision is unlawful and intend to appeal it, Info-Prim Neo reports. Legal Department head Diana Gurschi told the City Hall's ordinary meeting on Monday the decision of the Calarasi court contradicted the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code and, besides being challenged in the Chisinau Appeals Court, it would be complained of at the Council of Magistracy, the judiciary's supervisory body. “I wonder, how much did the decision cost, or was it won in a poker game?”, Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca asked rhetorically. In this context, the Mayor proposed to ban all the gambling facilities from the city. “The situation today is, in my opinion, unacceptable. I'm asking you to evaluate everything that has opened since 2007”. According to the Trade Department, there are 175 casinos and gambling establishments in Chisinau which accommodate a total of 2,000 slot machines. Since 2010, the City Hall has stopped issuing licenses for such establishments, yet some operators manage to obtain this right through court.