A sharp political scandal is unfolding in Moldova, linked to a water shortage. Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban has publicly appealed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to personally intervene in the situation and prevent a water crisis in the center of the country. This statement came against a backdrop of growing public anxiety and has triggered a stormy reaction both in society and within the Moldovan government.
Appeal to Kyiv: "Do not let us be left without water"
Ion Ceban did not resort to diplomatic phrasing. In his statement, he directly pointed to the need for direct involvement from the Ukrainian side. In the mayor's opinion, it is precisely President Zelenskyy's administration that possesses the resources and the ability to quickly resolve the problem threatening thousands of residents of the capital.
"I officially appeal to the administration in Kyiv and, in particular, to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy... I am asking for direct and personal involvement in resolving the water supply situation in Moldova. I am confident that the Ukrainian administration, together with its citizens, will not allow the residents of Moldova to be left without water," Ceban stated.
Adding particular acuteness to the situation is the fact that the Mayor of Chisinau publicly declared a lack of trust in the actions of his country's central authorities. He expressed confidence that the Moldovan leadership would not be able to solve the problem on its own, and therefore sees the solution in international intervention from Kyiv.
Response from the Government: "Focus on your job"
The public appeal to a foreign leader instantly provoked a conflict within the Moldovan elite. Minister of Environment Gheorghe Hadji harshly criticized the mayor's initiative, calling it inappropriate and unprofessional.
The head of the ministry pointed out to Ceban that instead of looking for scapegoats abroad, the capital's authorities should be dealing with internal problems. Hadji advised the mayor to focus on modernizing the "outdated infrastructure" and allocating the necessary budget funds for water supply.
"It would be better for him to focus on what he is obliged to do, and leave these problems, which mostly do not concern one country or another, because it is about climate change, about water that is accumulating less in the reservoir," the minister stated.
Thus, the dispute has escalated from a question of resource shortage into a polemic about the competence of local authorities and geopolitical dependence. While Chisinau seeks salvation in Kyiv, political struggle continues in Moldova, and the population remains a hostage of the water supply situation.
