New heating charge could take effect by January 1, 2008

A new heating charge could come into force by January 1, 2007, the Mayor General of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca said. According to Chirtoaca, by the start of the new year the municipal authorities will also decide on the compensations for heat that will be provided to socially disfavoured groups of people. He said that the administration of Chisinau will file an application to the Parliament asking it to interpret the law on the social protection of the population to establish if the City Hall can grant compensations or this is an exclusive obligation of the Government. At the latest October meetings, the Chisinau Municipal Council considered the possibility of cancelling the charge of 540 lei fixed by the previous composition of the CMC because it is considered too high. The discussions were suspended in order not to endanger the start of the heating season. The municipal councillors said then that CMC will return to the given issue at one of the next meetings, when it will consider a new tariff for the services provided by the heat supplier Termocom SA. Until a new heating charge is approved, all the consumers will pay 233 lei per gigacalorie for the heat supplied during the current heating season. A part of the heating costs will be covered from the local budget.