Interim Mayor accuses public organization of erecting “pyramid scheme”

Interim mayor of the capital Vasile Ursu accuses “Casa noastra Chisinau” public organization of misleading citizens, by registering them on the association’s lists for building social dwellings. During the Monday extraordinary session of the City Hall, Ursu urged inhabitants of the capital to avoid being misled by the head of the association, Oleg Oniscenco. He warned media representatives who are supporting Oniscenco’s ideas that they could be held responsible as well. Ursu said that in case the association succeeds to raise funds, it could become the “second MMM” (editor’s note: MMM was a famous “pyramid scheme” organized in the Russian Federation in early 90’s). According to interim Mayor, Oniscenco lures citizens by promising them to build houses, in lack of any plots rented or purchased for this purpose whatsoever. Ursu claims that the association didn’t even address municipal services to acquire or rent plots. According to Ursu, citizens should be attentive to what he called Oniscenco’s “pranks”, adding that there are a lot of foreign building companies ready to invest in the capital. He reiterated his satisfaction with the cooperation with the state’s leadership, as result of which three plots had been identified for building houses. Thus, on Balcani Blvd edification of private houses is planned, near Stauceni village – new apartment blocks will be built via mortgage crediting, and in Budesti district – social dwellings. Ursu also says that a bidding will be announced in the near future for designing and building houses, which would be erected exclusively by specialized construction companies, avoiding “those who wish only to grow rich”. Oleg Oniscenco told Info-Prim Neo said that Ursu’s statements are part of a denigration campaign against the largest public organization from the capital. According to the cited source, this campaign is being promoted lately on several TV channels by the director of the Agency for Construction and Territorial Development, Igor Semenovcher, who will be sued by the Association. “Unfortunately neither Ursu, nor Semenovcher are familiar with the details of this project worked out by tens of constructors, economists, representatives of the civil society, this is why they cannot form a correctly appreciation of the project, and mislead people”, says Oniscenco, who also was indignant at the fact that officials interfere in the public activity. The cited source says that the project, drafted by the public association “Casa noastrs Chisinau”, provides for a new district in the capital, and 10,000 apartments to be offered to the state for further distribution to underprivileged persons. The Association intends to accumulate money for construction from financial banking structures, interested in investiments.