The IPN news agency identified some issues that affect the Chișinău municipality and asked the candidates who run for mayor of the capital to present solutions.
Dumitru Țîra, the European People's Party candidate, said that Chișinău lacks and has always lacked a vision regarding accessibility. According to the mayoral hopeful, buildings must have stairs, ramps, railings, at least an elevator, while the roads should be durable and qualitative, equipped with sidewalks and bicycle lanes and should have reflective markings and lighting in risk areas for pedestrians. According to the candidate, Chișinău needs a clear vision and strategy for development, which also takes into account the needs of the most vulnerable road users.
According to Dumitru Țîra, City Hall building needs to be readjusted. The front door is far too heavy for mothers with a stroller or for people with disabilities. Ramps must be installed inside the building in order to provide access to the upper floor. Additionally, water closets for disabled individuals are required. "All these requirements must be fulfilled in order to provide a minimum level of decency", said the PPEM candidate.
Dumitru Țîra is an advocate for the development of partnerships with residents and economic agents. "Only close collaboration will allow us to organize efficient street planning. For maintenance, we need a program which employs community members and volunteer groups to monitor the quality of the streets”, said the candidate.
As far as financing is concerned, the European People's Party candidate said that Chișinău City Hall has sufficient resources for the readjustment of entrances to public institutions in order to ensure accessibility, as well as for measures needed in order to increase pedestrian safety and comfort, such as tactile pavement and traffic lights with sound signals. "The problem is the poor management of these resources and theft from the municipal budget", said Dumitru Țîra.
Vitalie Voznoi, the Party of the European Left candidate, believes that previous local authorities have paid little attention to the people. Vitalie Voznoi aims to "correct this injustice" by equipping all pedestrian crossings with tactile pavement, special traffic lights for people with hearing impairments and with ramps for people with locomotor disabilities. The candidate said that he intends to set up ramps at the entrances to all parks and public institutions and to conduct negotiations with the capital's economic agents, who should also concern themselves with accessibility. Real estate developers will be monitored in order to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.
The mayoral hopeful said that he cannot promise the rapid set up of tactile paving surfaces or of traffic lights with sound signals, however, he will hold talks in order to commence a project with a planned budget and action plan. "We do not exclude the possibility that economic agents will want to join our initiative. We intend to organize the relevant contests in order to select the best available offers and, of course, to make the necessary purchases, strictly according to the law”. Vitalie Voznoi assured that all procedures will be preceded by consultations with experts and disabled persons rights activists and will be carried out in a transparent manner.
Vitalie Voznoi added that he plans to gradually replace the old trolleybuses and buses with new ones, with ramps and low floors. He will put forward bills which aim to amend the legislation in order to force private transport operators to supply accessible vehicles. As for the City Hall building, the candidate want to install an elevator.
