Deputy mayor of Chisinau Ruslan Codreanu denies Socialist councilors’ statements that the City Hall is to increase the public transport fares and drinking water and heat tariffs, IPN reports.

Ruslan Codreanu said the Socialist councilors aim to manipulate public opinion before the November 19 referendum and to also discredit the Chisinau City Hall.

“Not the City Hall, but the Municipal Council sets the tariffs for public utilities. The municipal councilors of the PSRM evidently manipulate the citizens of Chisinau so as to achieve their own political goals,” stated the deputy mayor.

In a news conference on November 14, Socialist councilors said the City Hall intends to raise the bus, minibus and trolleybus fares and the tariffs of public utilities and these rises were taken into account when drafting the 2018 municipal budget.