The costs for renovating the Parliament Building will be optimized by reducing the budget for purchasing furniture. Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Construction Anatolie Zolotcov has told IPN that initially it was planned that the furniture in the assembly hall will be fully made of wood. But afterward it was decided that a part of it will be from medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which is a building material made of wood or other plant fibers pressed together to form boards.

Anatolie Zolotcov said they are now considering whether to upholster MPs’ seats with leather or artificial material. The costs will be also cut by excluding certain equipment. “A part of the planned equipment will not be installed, but not to the detriment of quality,” he added.

The optimization is done at the suggestion of Speaker Igor Corman. It’s not yet known how much money will be saved. Earlier, Corman said the MPs will return to the renovated Parliament Building by this yearend.

The Parliament Building and the Presidential Office were devastated in 2009, during the protests against the results of the April 5 legislative elections, staged in Chisinau.