Chișinău's mayor fires utility firm chief, but rivals call it a cover-up
Chișinău's mayor, Ion Ceban, ordered the dismissal of the leadership of Infocom, a municipal utility and housing services company, and called for an internal inquiry to be completed within three days, amid a growing scandal over the company's operations.
Ceban issued the directive at a municipal services meeting on 23 March. He also called for immediate referrals to the Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Centre (NACC), saying the inquiry should conclude with a full report and concrete decisions.
The mayor separately cited complaints from residents of the Buiucani district over the formation of homeowners' associations without the consent of a majority of residents, a situation he attributed to gaps in current legislation.
Ruling party faction demands broader audit
The Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) faction on Chișinău Municipal Council also called for the removal of Infocom director Adrian Malic — but rejected the mayor's approach as insufficient.
"The resignation of the current director is only a first step," Dumitru Ivanov, deputy head of the PAS faction, told reporters at a press briefing on 23 March. "Without an audit of this company, without clear investigations and real accountability, it is merely a cosmetic move."
Ivanov accused Ceban of a pattern of deflecting responsibility. According to Ivanov, the mayor had already instructed the Human Resources department to begin dismissal proceedings against Malic — a move Ivanov characterised as sacrificing a subordinate to protect an alleged scheme operating within the company.
"Every time the scheme comes to light, he sacrifices the implementer and feigns ignorance," Ivanov said.
Sensitive data and disputed building takeovers
Ivanov noted that Infocom holds sensitive personal data on Chișinău residents, raising questions about oversight of the company. He alleged that at least 45 residential buildings in the Buiucani district had been targeted by unauthorised managers — dubbed "ghost administrators" — and that residents faced the risk of being left without utilities, though he did not provide supporting documentation for the figure.
Legislative response
PAS lawmakers have submitted a bill to amend Moldova's Condominium Law in response to the reported abuses. The draft legislation would establish a mechanism for residents to exit associations created without their consent and would introduce stricter rules for forming new homeowners' associations, requiring either one quarter of owners within a single condominium or a majority vote where multiple buildings are involved.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
