Minibus fares in Chisinau will not rise until summer

The minibus fares in the capital city will remain unchanged at least until summer, the head of the Association of Private Carriers Ion Mamaliga told Info-Prim Neo. “The probate carriers working in the municipality of Chisinau expressed their wish to start the procedure for increasing the fares following the fourth rise in the price of gasoline. But the procedure is complicated and a period of several months is needed to reach a decision,” said Ion Mamaliga. Each of the 20 route operators is to do calculations and present them to the Transport Division. They will be later submitted to the competent commissions of the Chisinau Municipal Council. “The current fare (3 lei) will not be modified during the period of the winter holidays,” Ion Mamaliga assured. He said that the price of fuel on the world markets is going down. Thus, it should be established why the importers increased the oil prices. “I think this is from where we should go. In our country, it is the opposite. Nobody protests when the importers raise prices. They protest when the importers intend to increase fares,” Ion Mamaliga said. Last week a number of filling stations raised the prices of gasoline, diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas. The press reported that the minibus fares could also rise by 1 leu or 2 lei in several weeks.