A dispute erupted between Ion Ceban and Igor Grosu over the situation involving water from the Dnister River, after oil product stains were detected and warnings were issued about possible risks to water supply.
Initially, the leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity urged local authorities not to cause panic among the population and to allow responsible institutions to manage the situation.
“I recommend they make a reserve of common sense. Yes, of common sense and judgment. Let’s listen to the institutions. When a mayor says ‘I sent my guys to take samples,’ you didn’t send them to get a bottle of liquor, you understand? We are talking about institutions that collect samples from specific locations and analyze them. Minister Gheorghe Hajder will clarify the situation with the water; everything is under control. Services worked all night and continue working in Soroca, building that barrier — technically speaking — to extract those stains, the spills. Otherwise, do not mislead people,” Grosu said.
In response, Mayor Ion Ceban described the remarks as “absolutely irresponsible” and presented laboratory test results regarding water from the Dniester River.
“I saw certain statements today in Parliament, including those of the Speaker. Absolutely irresponsible from every point of view regarding water. I did not send ‘my guys,’ as the Speaker mentioned. A professional team went there — a team responsible for the well-being of one million citizens living here,” the mayor said.
According to Ceban, water samples collected from three points along the Dniester River — the Dubasari Hydropower Plant, Molovata, and Naslavcea — meet safety standards and do not pose a threat to the capital’s water supply.
He also accused central authorities of creating unnecessary panic.
“This comes after yesterday they sent people from the Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova and a letter from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova instructing institutions to stock up on water, claiming that Chisinau would be left without water. We disrupted their plans and made public the information that they intended to cut off the water deliberately to divert attention from fuel-related problems,” Ceban added.
On March 9, an oil product slick was observed on the surface of the Dniester River near the city of Otaci in Ocnita District. According to Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder, approximately 1.5 tons of petroleum products may have spilled into the river.
For sanitary safety reasons, water intake was temporarily suspended in Balti, leaving residents without drinking water for two days. Authorities later installed filtration barriers to limit the spread of pollution, while monitoring of water quality continues.