Courts won't hear utilities' claims against consumers without direct contracts

Courts won't anymore accept claims brought by the utilities Termocom, Apa-Canal Chisinau and Chisinau-Gaz against consumers with overdue debts, unless they have direct agreements with these consumers. Supreme Court of Justice President Mihai Poalelungi has told Info-Prim Neo that the law doesn't allow public utilities to sue consumers in the absence of direct contracts. If the utilities continue to file claims, the courts will have the obligation to reject them. Mihai Poalelungi said that the pending cases will be quashed. As concerns the cases on which decisions have already been pronounced, they will remain in effect unless irreversible. The rule is applicable to all the courts of law in Moldova, said Poalelungi. In many cases public utilities in Chisinau provide services to apartment buildings under collective contracts.