GOVERNMENT IS AGAINST FREE TRAVEL OF THE DISABLED IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The Government issued a negative conclusion on the draft law which provides that the exemption of the disabled pensioners and the disabled veterans from paying public transport fares.

Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection Svetlana Cebotari said at the Wednesday’s sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers that the legislative initiative implies the regulation of the sphere of transportation and cannot be adopted before assessing the consequences of such norm implementation.

“Also, the document does not have information about funds, necessary for the implementation of this norm and the source of financing. According to the Constitution, no initiative may be approved without identifying the source of financing”, she reminded.

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said that such bills lead to distortion in the economic system, as the needy should receive decent pensions, salaries and allowances to allow themselves to pay fares.

According to the explanatory note, the draft law proposes that pensioners with disabilities and the disabled veterans to be allowed to use public transport for free (except taxis), while rural area residents – the transport that circulates within the frameworks of administrative-territorial units they live in.