EBRD willing to offer loan to develop Chisinau's water supplier

Apa-Canal Chisinau (ACC) may soon get a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The timeliness has been discussed at a meeting between general mayor Dorin Chirtoaca and the ACC manager Constantin Becciev with a senior official of the EBRD, Henry Russell, Info-Prim Neo reports. The bank believes ACC, after paying off the previous credit, has recorded encouraging progress, the supplier says. They mentioned the considerable drop in water losses and implementing international standards of quality integrated management by the company's administration within the harsh conditions caused by the delayed adjustment of tariffs by the local administration, ACC says. At the meeting, the ACC manager has informed the EBRD representative on the current situation of the company, especially referring to the water supply and drainage tariffs. He has said the loan is especially welcome now, when there boon conditions to attract more non-reimbursable grants from EU institutions. Henry Russell has said the EBRD is willing to offer a loan to develop ACC, but the local authorities should adjust the tariffs for the services provided by the supplier and should guarantee they will be modified depending on inflation, reads a communique of the City Hall. The general mayor has said the relevant draft decisions are considered by the Municipal Council (CMC). Dorin Chirtoaca has stressed only the CMC can deal with issues as contracting loans or adjusting tariffs. Last March, the CMC passed a new Regulation on water supply and drainage in Chisinau, which later turned into an apple of discord for councilors. Some of them claim it is not operable and displeases the end users. In June, a number of councilors asked for canceling the Regulation. Talks on attracting a new loan for Apa-Canal Chisinau are held for the first time in 5 years between the Chisinau municipal authorities and the EBRD.