Chisinau Municipal Council debates heating charge

The special commission set up by the Chisinau City Hall to consider the heat charge, headed by deputy mayor Mihai Furtuna, presented the municipal councilors its conclusions concerning the tariff for the period of time from December 2007 to April 2008, at the Council’s sitting of 14 April, Info-Prim Neo reports. Mihai Furtuna says that, on the basis of the data presented by the heating company SA Termocom, the commission concluded the examination and presented the draft decision to establish the tariff for the heating agent. Thus, the commission has suggested that the tariff to be paid by the municipality for 1 gigacalorie should be 456 lei. The difference between 233 lei per 1 gcal – paid by the residents, and 456 lei is to be paid from the municipal budget. So, the CMC is to pay a total amount of at least 200 million lei. The commission suggests a tariff of 536 for the warm period of 2008 and 2009, as it will be revised, if Termocom incurs additional costs. 300 lei from the charge of 536 lei are suggested to be paid by the population for a certain apartment area. Mihai Furtuna says the draft decision suggests to work out a regulation on compensating residents. The City Hall plans to 9 sq. meters for each resident plus 10 meters for whole family. For example, for an apartment with a surface of 30 sq. meters, dwelt by 2 people, the CMC will offer a compensation for 28 sq. meters. The special commission proposes that the people pay 300 lei per 1 gcal for 28 sq. meters, while for the rest of the area, that is 2 sq. meters, the owners will pay the integral tariff of 536 lei per 1 gcal. If to apply this compensating regime, the Gigacalorie to be paid for by the people gets 70 lei more expensive. After re-calculating the losses incurred by Termocom, the municipality will pay 81 mln lei more than planned. Till disseminating this story, the CMC councilors were waiting for SA Termocom administrator, Dionisie Antocel, to say his position on the scheme put up by the special commission.