Pensioners and blood donors will be issued with gratis monthly season tickets

The pensioners, socially deprived persons, blood donors and veterans will be able to travel free of charge by public units of transport with monthly season tickets from February 1, 2010. The decision was made by the Chisinau Municipal Council on January 29. The blood donors with merits were included in the list of those who can travel gratis at the suggestion of the head of “Salvgardare” Association Maia Laguta, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca, the persons who have a monthly income lower than 1,450 lei can choose between receiving a season ticket that allows traveling free of charge and the monthly compensation of 70 lei that has been provided from October 1, 2009. To be issued with the season ticket, those entitled should file an application with the local Social Assistance Division. The pensioners who have a monthly income higher than the minimum subsistence level (1,450 lei) and the students could purchase season tickets at half price, for 70 lei. Dorin Chirtoaca said the reforms in the area follow the cancellation of the travel permits, the rise in bus and trolleybus fares and the granting of compensations from October 1, 2009 “Assessing the situation of the Electric Transport Company and the Urban Bus Company, the City Hall established that the two companies' revenues rose by 50 – 60% and that they can work without allocations from the municipal budget. Those money can now be used to purchase new units of transport,” Chirtoaca said. He also said that more than 75,000 persons benefit from compensations for trips by public units of transport at present.