Members of the Moldpresa Communications Trade Unions Federation consider the decision to take away the Moldpresa kiosks situated downtown that was taken by the local public authorities of Chisinau is abusive. Now that the kiosk are being taken away, the vendors remain without a job and, respectively, without a source of livelihood. The employees of Moldpresa demand to initiate a constructive dialogue and solve the problem.
In a news conference at IPN, Svetlana Bashkir, a member of the Federation’s executive bureau, said Moldpresa provides jobs to over 800 persons with salaries that generate over 37 million lei taxes. The municipal administration should understand that these are press distributors and they should not be placed on the same line as other business entities.
Valeriu Untilă, of a publishing house, said the decision to remove the Moldpresa kiosks influences also the publishing houses. Consequently, the volume of print runs decreases as does the number of jobs and the families of employees are affected.
“It is unimaginable how the administrative institutions can intervene by abusive methods. The local public authorities do not realize that there is a rather large chain in this process. Besides editorial offices, there are publishing houses, suppliers, editors and carriers – companies that will go bankrupt and the people will remain without jobs,” stated Veronica Baghici-Toma, of an editorial office.
Elizaveta Iurcu, vice president of the Trade Unions Federation, said most of the salary earners of Moldpresa are over 50 and it will be very hard for them to find a job now. Many will have to leave the country and work far from their children.
Federation member Rodion Stamatin said the discussions held on January 22 with representatives of the local administration after Moldpresa employees picketed the Chisinau City Hall produced nothing definite. The City Hall decided that the Trade Division and the district head’s offices during the next three days will start a dialogue. Until then the removal of kiosks will be suspended. The dialogue between the sides does not yet mean solving of the problems. The members of the Moldpresa Communications Trade Unions Federation would like the regulations concerning trade in the municipality of Chisinau to be suspended so that trade in periodicals is separated from other types of trade.
A number of 24 kiosks have been taken away so far. There are six more Moldpresa kiosks in the historical center of Chisinau. Overall, there are about 170 kiosks that sell periodical press in the city.
