EBRD willing to fund investment projects in Chisinau

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is willing to fund investment projects in the Chisinau municipality. The statement was made on Wednesday, April 9, by members of the EBRD delegation at a meeting with the capital’s mayor, Dorin Chirtoaca, and municipal officials. The delegation has been headed by Michael Daeky, the EBRD director for Moldova, Caucasus and Belarus, Paul Covenden and Karolis Dekeris, senior bankers of the Bank’s Municipal Infrastructure Investments Department, accompanied by Octavian Costas, senior representative in Chisinau. According to the mayor, the main areas needed urgent investment are the water and drainages systems, the Chisinau water cleaning station and the city public transport. The guests found the projects suggested by the local authorities as interesting, especially the ones put up by SA Apa-Canal Chisinau, which implies investments of as many as 170 million euro, of which 75 million for the construction of the water cleaning station. Those projects are part of the Concept on developing water and drainage services already approved of by the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC). The EBRD bankers have said those investments may be successfully made, provided the CMC approves of a tariff real and encompassing investment, or switches to another form of organization, as is the example of the Public-Private Partnership. They hope the CMC will pas the necessary decisions to make possible to start funding those projects of vital importance for the Chisinau residents. The water charge covers for only 77% of the amount recommended by the National Energy Regulator, what deprived of funds other important projects. Moreover, starting 2008, SA Apa-Canal Chisinau is obliged to pay 80 million lei in taxes. The supplier manager thinks the actual tariff should cover also possible hardships in the work of the company.