CHISINAU CHRISTMAS TREE TO BE OFFICIALLY LIGHTED ON MONDAY

Chisinau Acting Mayor Silvia Radu wrote in social networks that all the preparations for opening the country’s main Christmas tree and lighting the festive lights have been completed and the official opening ceremony will take place on Monday at 18:00. On Sunday evening she participated in the rehearsal of the ceremony of tree opening.

Initially, the city should have had a 20-meter-high fir, bought in Ukraine for 15 thousand lei. However, while transporting on a flat wagon by railroad, the tree got seriously damaged, remaining almost without branches in its lower part. Despite this, on Saturday morning, the ugly tree was installed in the Chisinau main square. Its photos immediately got in social networks, becoming the object of mockery for users.

After city acting mayor saw the tree, she immediately ordered that the tree to be urgently dismantled.

“Later, we will find out who was guilty of this and if it was someone’s deliberate act”, Silvia Radu said, adding that well-known Liberal leaders stand behind this.

The new tree 19 meters high was cut in the territory of a former kindergarten in one of city sectors. Silvia Radu wrote that she buys the tree at her own funds as a gift for Chisinau citizens. She also mentioned that the tree cost was 10 thousand lei.

Liberal Party Deputy Chairman, ex-Minister of Environment Valeriu Munteanu wrote on Facebook that the tree in the territory of former kindergarten was cut illegally.

“There is no authorization issued by the landowner or empowered person in the State Ecological Inspection or in Chisinau Ecological Agency. The “head” of the Chisinau Primaria should take responsibility for this lawlessness”, Munteanu said.

Specialists also pointed at the fact that the fir was of a rare variety and Radu has to be punished for illegal cutting of the tree without agreeing with corresponding institutions.

At the sitting of Primaria municipal services on Monday, Radu said that Munteanu’s behavior is tactless for a politician.

“It seems that he sincerely wants that the Primaria to remain in chaos. However, it is not me, but first of all the citizens were affected, when they were tried to be deprived of the holiday”, she said.

According to Radu, a special commission will soon start working to study the situation with the Ukrainian fir. It is aimed at returning the money, spent on buying the tree in the municipal budget.