PAS and MAN clash over EBRD-funded infrastructure plan in Chisinau
The Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) faction in the Chisinau Municipal Council announced it will abstain from voting on the Zonal Urban Plan (PUZ) for the Industrial Street district. PAS counselors cited a lack of transparency from the municipal administration regarding the project's impact on local residents and private property rights.
During a press conference, PAS representatives emphasized that while they support urban growth and foreign investment, the current draft leaves critical questions unanswered.
Opposition concerns over expropriation
The primary dispute involves rezoning residential plots into commercial areas. Faction leader Zinaida Popa questioned how the municipality plans to safeguard the rights of citizens currently living within the designated sector.
Furthermore, the proposed expansion of Industrial Street toward Vadul lui Voda Street threatens 14 private properties with potential expropriation. PAS claims the city administration failed to provide budgetary estimates for financial compensation or legal frameworks for the process.
PAS also rejected claims that approving this specific zoning plan is a prerequisite for the broader modernization of Industrial Street. The faction clarified that the road rehabilitation is independently governed by existing financial agreements with international institutions and has retained PAS support since its inception.
Strategic misalignment and municipal response
The opposition highlighted a lack of synchronization with Chisinau's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, which the municipal council passed earlier this year. Project authors admitted during committee hearings that the zoning project had not been updated to match the new strategic masterplan, noting the drafting process began in 2021.
"An urban planning document brought for approval in 2026 must be compatible with strategic guidelines adopted in the meantime," Popa stated.
The MAN faction counter-position
In response, the National Alternative Movement (MAN), led by Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban, dismissed the criticisms and accused PAS of deliberate political obstruction.
MAN representatives argued that the opposition to the zoning plan aligns with a broader campaign targeting the mayor's administration, pointing to recent state inspections and legal complaints against municipal officials. The faction stated that the planning documentation had already received all necessary clearances from competent central government ministries.
According to MAN, the Industrial Street rehabilitation is one of Chisinau's most critical infrastructure developments, conducted in partnership with European financial institutions, including the EBRD. The ruling municipal party maintains that the zoning plan is essential to optimize traffic flows, expand urban networks, and unlock economic growth for the capital.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
