Capital City Hall's debts to disabled people spark dispute between mayor and Sector 4 administrator

A significant political dispute has erupted in Bucharest over hundreds of millions of lei owed by the Capital City Hall to disabled individuals. The conflict pits Mayor Ciprian Ciucu of the PNL against Daniel Băluță, president of PSD Bucharest and former mayoral candidate.

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From now on, until 2030, I assume that we will pay 250 lei per month for each person who is in the situation of having a disability to whom the Bucharest City Hall owes money. The amount we owe for various social benefits is 689 million! It will be paid in full by November 1, 2030.

Mayor Ciucu announced a plan to address the debt, stating that the city hall will pay 250 lei monthly for each disabled person owed money until the total sum of 689 million lei is paid off by November 1, 2030. The General Council of the City Hall approved the decision to begin these payments, which will be made monthly until fully settled.

Ciucu emphasized the need for budgetary sustainability, noting that the current situation is not financially viable without a structured payment plan. He stated that the council's decision creates the necessary budget space for consistent and uninterrupted payments.

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A general mayor must be the mayor of all Bucharest residents. Both the strong ones and those who, at a certain point in their lives, need support. We understand very well that Bucharest needs investments. It needs infrastructure, better public transport, heating, streets, hospitals, and schools. It also needs order in public spending.

However, Băluță criticized Ciucu's approach, accusing the mayor of making insufficient payments and not prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable. He argued that a city's development involves more than just infrastructure and that care for vulnerable citizens should not be considered a dispensable expense. Băluță stressed that a city is defined by its people, especially those requiring support.

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A city is not built only from concrete, asphalt, and infrastructure projects. A city is, above all, about the people who live in it. And care for the vulnerable cannot be classified as 'expenses we can do without'.