Mayor of Chisinau says police should change horses for motorcycles

The Zoological Garden in Chisinau does not have money to look after the horses of the police regiment “Scut”. The Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca considers it would be cheaper to replace the horses with motorcycles. The animals are taken out of the stable only once a year, on the Police Day, and they are in a poor state, the Zoological Garden's director Aexei Hantatuc said at Monday's meeting of the municipal services and divisions. Iurie Crijanovshi, the head of the General Police Commissariat's Public Order Division, said that the horses are used in summer to patrol the parks. Dorin Chirtoaca stressed that the costs of maintaining the horses and transporting them from one corner of the city to another by special vehicles are rather high. He said it would be cheaper if the police officers patrol the parks on motorcycles. The decision to use horses to patrol the green areas in Chisinau was taken in 2005. Initially, ten thoroughbred horses were purchased from Ukraine. Afterward, there were brought another 18 horses, special riding equipment and five units for transporting the animals. A stable was built at the Zoological Garden. Several million lei has been spent for the purpose so far. Every horse cost about 5,000 euros. The Chisinau administration decided to set up a commission that will examine the 'horse issue'.