Political parties in CMC obstruct changing water tariff – interim mayor

The interim mayor of Chisinau municipality, Vasile Ursu, considers that as long as there are 3-4 parties in Chisinau Municipal Council, the water tariff will not be adjusted. He stated about this at the working meeting with the specialized services, responsible for designing the water recycling plant in Chisinau municipality. Ursu noted that the water tariff has to be set by an independent body. Previously, he expressed again his support for creating an independent structure empowered with the right to issue the tariffs for public services, including water, transportation, which are currently the Municipal Council’s responsibilities. At a meeting at the mayoralty with the participation of President Vladimir Voronin and Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, Ursu called on their involvement in resolving the tariff problem, on the ground that CMC members are „populists” and will never approve increases in public services. Later, the government issued a decision draft on redirecting to the Energy Regulatory Agency the competences to approve public services tariffs. During the past years, CMC repeatedly rejected or postponed talks on adjusting tariffs for different services. The last time the tariffs for services provided by the water supplier were changed in 2000. According to the agreement concluded with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1997, the tariffs have to change 3 times per year. Now the consumers pay per 1 water cubic meter and sewerage 2.62 lei, and legal entities – 14.9 lei. ACC, the water supplier in Chisinau, requires a tariff increase for 4 years already. The administration of the water supplier notes that the enterprise is in a serious economic crisis because the tariffs do not cover all of the expenses.