Chisinau councilors demand resignations over illegal 22-story skyscraper project
Councilors from the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) within the Chisinau Municipal Council are calling for the immediate resignation of five high-ranking City Hall officials.
The officials are allegedly involved in illegally authorizing 12 residential towers—some reaching 22 stories—on Bucovinei Street, in direct violation of the city's urban master plan.
The project, located at 3 Bucovinei St., reportedly tears up the 2022 Zonal Urban Plan (PUZ). According to PAS councilors, the permits favor the financial interests of a single private developer at the expense of local residents and the city’s sustainable growth.
"We are standing here to expose a major scandal in how Chisinau is governed," said Zinaida Popa, head of the PAS faction, during a press conference on Tuesday. "Behind me, the construction of 12 blocks up to 22 floors high has been authorized. This is a radical departure from the 2022 plan, which allowed only four blocks with a maximum of 12 floors to ensure the neighborhood's architectural harmony."
PAS councilors claim the permits flagrantly contradict zoning laws. They have named Chief Architect Svetlana Dogotaru, Deputy Architect Igor Vrabie, Deputy Mayors Ilie Ceban and Irina Gutnic, and Council Secretary Adrian Talmaci as those responsible for the "scheme."
To mask the massive scale of the development, Popa alleged the land was "artificially divided" to issue separate permits for what is actually a single, massive project owned by one entity.
The opposition warned that the area is already home to nearly 300 families served by only one access road. Adding 12 massive towers would turn the neighborhood into a congested "urban ghetto."
"No one is against new housing," Popa added, "but urban development must follow the law, not abuse it. We see the Mayor delegating his signature to deputies, but he must understand: delegating a signature does not mean delegating responsibility."
The PAS faction is demanding the suspension and eventual cancellation of all building permits for the site until a full legal review is conducted. They also called for municipal land to be managed through transparent public auctions rather than private deals.
"Chisinau is not an experiment or a territory to be carved up between private interests," Popa concluded.
The City Hall officials named in the allegations did not respond to requests for comment. However, Vasile Chirilescu, spokesperson for the Chisinau Municipality, told Teleradio-Moldova that the institution would issue an official press release later today.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
