Chisinau Budget Deadlock: PAS Ultimatum to Mayor Ceban

Chisinau's Municipal Budget Vote Fails Again Chisinau, Moldova - The third attempt to pass the 2025 municipal budget has failed, highlighting deep divisions within the city council. The PAS party's councilors walked out of the voting session, leaving the budget short of the required votes. This follows a similar incident in December. PAS has issued an ultimatum to Mayor Ion Ceban, demanding that their proposals be included in the revised budget. "If the mayor incorporates our requests before the next meeting, we will unblock the situation and vote for the budget," stated Zinaida Popa, head of the PAS faction in the Chisinau Municipal Council (CMC). Mayor Ceban responded by accusing PAS of prioritizing politics over the city's needs. "Today, just like in December, the PAS faction left the session without voting. They never intended to vote and have used this as a political maneuver," Ceban said in a statement. The Finance Department's proposed budget includes 8.797 billion lei in revenue and 9.427 billion lei in expenses, with 4.527 billion lei coming from the state budget. The budget's failure leaves Chisinau in a precarious position, potentially operating on a provisional budget for a considerable period. The situation underscores the challenges in securing consensus on crucial financial matters for the city.