A service member of the National Army injured himself fatally with a service rifle while on guard on January 1. It happened close to midnight, at 11:45pm, on the territory of the Chisinau-based Military Camp No. 142. The ambulance doctors who came to the scene stated the man’s death. This was drafted into the army in July 2016. All the materials referring to this case were transmitted to the Centru Prosecutor’s Office of Chisinau. Simultaneously, a special commission of the National Army is conducting an internal inquiry to find out the circumstances of the incident.
On January 2, the Chisinau City Hall announced it decided to tighten the belt until the financial situation is remedied. Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca instructed the municipal subdivisions to make only current payments, for salaries, electric power, heat, fuel and other costs. Capital repair works in Chisinau will not be yet carried out, except for those financed with external funds. Among the reasons that led to such a situation is the fact that the revenues from the sale of municipal property were lower than projected, the poor management of funds by the municipal subdivisions and unjustified costs. The 2017 municipal budget provides for revenues of 3.1 billion lei and an expenditure of 3.6 billion lei. The budget deficit is of over 450 million lei.
On January 3, President Igor Dodon signed a decree to withdraw the Moldovan nationality from the ex-President of Romania Traian Basescu. The Head of State said this way he will repair a violation of the law committed by the former President. Igor Dodon said the nationality was given to this illegally and earlier Traian Basescu repeatedly urged to liquidate the statehood of the Republic of Moldova by annexation to Romania. Also, since he held the presidency of Romania, Basescu has refused to recognize the Moldovan statehood and the existence of the Moldovan people and all these run counter to the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova.
On January 4, President of Moldova Igor Dodon paid a visit to Bender, where he met with the Transnistrian leader Vadim Kasnoselski. The interlocutors discussed issues related to education, motor transport, mobile phone communications and farmers’ access to their farmed in Dubasari district. According to the presidential press service, this was the first high-level meeting after a hiatus of eight years.
A house caught fire in Festelita village of Stefan Voda district on January 4. When they managed to localize the fire, the firemen found the carbonized bodies of two persons, who were the owners of the house – a man aged 62 and his wife of 55. The fire was noticed by neighbors. When the firefighters arrived at the scene, the ceiling had caved in and the house had been almost fully destroyed. Allegedly, the fire was caused by embers that fell from the stove that burned throughout night. A 69-year-old woman was killed in a fire in Merenii Vechi, Ungheni, the same day. Most probably, this died from carbon monoxide poisoning as only the bed linen burned in the room where she was found.
The State Hydrometeorological Service issued an orange code advisory for heavy snow in the central and southern districts for the period between January 6 and 8. On January 6, owing to the blizzard, the section of the Taraclia-Cahul road between the villages Ciumai and Burlaceni was closed. On January 7, there were closed the following road portions: M3 Chisinau – Cimislia – Vulcanesti – Giurgiulesti road (154-161 km, Ciumai – Burlaceni section, and 197 – 211 km, Vulcanesti - Slobozia Mare section). On January 8, there were closed the roads R47 Cimislia – Iargara – Sarata Noua, (20 - 25 km), R37 Ceadar-Lunga – Comrat – Cantemir (46-55), R36 Basarabeasca – Ceadar-Lunga – Taraclia (44- 64 km), R35 Basarabeasca – Comrat (6-26 km), R 29 Bender – Cainari – Razeni (24- 25 km). Rescuers were called to tow away two trucks that got stuck on the Slobozia – Vulcanesti road and cars that remained blocked near Vulcanesti village.
Selection by Alina Marin, IPN
