Dorin Chirtoaca promised that the repair works on Stefan cel Mare Blvd will be completed by July 2, when the ruler is commemorated, while Nistor Grozavu promised that administrative penalties will be imposed if the works are not finished at least by the Independence Day that is celebrated on August 27. The authors of a new Sic! article say it is September already, but the project that was announced in 2011 hasn’t been yet implemented till the end. The works on the roadway are over, but the “last 100 meters” and the finishing works cannot be completed and problems with the new layer of asphalt already appeared, IPN reports.
The article says the tender contest to choose the contractor that was to carry out the works was held in 2014 and caused controversy from the very beginning. The Chisinau Municipal Council constituted a commission of inquiry to examine how the winner was chosen. According to Chisinau councilor Veaceslav Bulat, a member of the commission, the tender contest was held with violations and the selected contractor didn’t have the necessary experience and didn’t offer the best price. Moreover, it was the same Romanian company - Delta ACM 93 – that repaired Alecu Russo St. Then, the works were completed one year later than planned and fissures in the asphalt appear only one year after the works were completed. Delta ACM 93 was reportedly close to the circles of Traian Basescu, while Dorin Chirtoaca was the godfather of the ex-President’s granddaughter. One year later, the National Integrity Commission ascertained that the mayor allowed a conflict of interests and favored the Romanian company.
According to the article authors, it is not very clear when the works started. Head of the Public Relations Division of the Chisinau City Hall Vadim Branzaniuc in October 2014 announced that the works were to start that month and would last for at most 20 months. The official announcement of the City Hall was made in a year, in 2015. One month later, the workers said the asphalting of the boulevard would start only in 2016. In August, Igor Gamretski, who was then head of the Transport Division, had to deny the rumors that the works were suspended and assured that everything went according to plan. In October 2016, Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca announced a new delay – the works would not be completed in spring, but in the summer of 2017. However, the mayor promised that these would be finished by July 2, when Ruler Stephan the Great is commemorated.
In the spring of 2017, the Chisinau City Hall was hit by the pay parking lots scandal within which a number of functionaries were accused or investigated for acts of corruption, including Dorin Chirtoaca and Igor Gamretski. They both were suspended. In this connection, the deputy head of the Transport Division Oleg Caraman announced that there was a financing-related problem and a payment of €500,000 by the EBRD was put off, owing to the situation at the City Hall. Building site chief Valentin Svaga confirmed that the works were delayed because of the debts of the municipal authorities to the contractor.
Becoming meanwhile acting mayor, Nistor Grozavu at the start of August expressed his concern that the repair works would not be completed at least by the Independence Day. “It is a huge workload that should be done by the date of 25 [...] I hope we will success,” Oleg Poiata, acting head of the Transport Division, stated in the August 14 meeting of City Hall officials. Asked by journalists if the works could be finished on time, Oleg Poiata said it was possible, but a delay is expected owing to the underground passages and the rotary on Negruzzi St.
In the August 21 meeting, a report was presented by Oleg Poiata’s deputy Oleg Caraman. According to this, new delays were witnessed owing to particular technical moments and the payment of the City Hall’s contribution. The answer of acting mayor Nistor Grozavu was harsh: “I would not make threats, but I warn you and Mister Poiata, and the contractor, that the non-fulfillment of the duties for this time will entail administrative consequences. We either keep our word or say that we do not have these capacities. If we have capacities, we should not do all the works on the last 110 meters.”
The article authors say that after numerous delays, the works seem to be coming to an end. Dorin Chirtoaca could fire no one as he himself was suspended, while the administrative measures promised by Nistor Grozavu remained only statements. The delays multiply, the mayors are replaced and those to blame cannot be found.
The full article is available on sic.md. Sic! is a project implemented by IPN News Agency with financial support from the Black Sea Trust.
