A former kindergarten principal has complained to the President about supplies of unsafe food – including worm-infested fish, rotten meat and substandard bread – reportedly delivered to kindergartens in Chisinau on municipal contracts. 

The President’s Office said on its website that the principal was fired from kindergarten no.177 in Chisinau’s Ciocana sector after she tried to oppose the practice allegedly condoned by the education authorities of the sector. 

The President's Office has requested the Food Safety Agency, the Public Health Agency, the Public Procurement Agency, and the Anticorruption Center to look into “the criminal act orchestrated by City Hall officials and the suppliers.” The Anticorruption Center has also been requested to report what has been done about similar cases that surfaced two years ago. Moreover, the matter will be examined at the next meeting of the Supreme Security Council. 

Chisinau education chief Rodica Guțu commented by saying that every kindergarten principal is responsible for the quality of the meals served to children, and that the Education Division is inspecting food safety in kindergartens regularly. 

Rodica Guțu added she didn’t know about this particular case, but three months ago there were complaints of rotten fish in this sector, and the Food Safety Agency was able to intervene on time and prevent such food from reaching children’s plates.