Moldovan expat communities accuse Moldtelecom of using bogus request to modify phone charges

Twenty-five organizations of Moldovan communities abroad are accusing the national telephony operator Moldtelecom of using a false letter of request from the “Moldovan diaspora” to justify the modification of phone charges. Moldtelecom decided to lower international calling rates after claiming it had received a letter of request in this respect from the Moldovan diaspora representatives, which was published in the national media. However, to alleviate the financial impact of this measure on the company, Moldtelecom decided to raise the rates on domestic phone calls. But the 25 expatriate organizations deny having sent such a letter, nor they have managed to identify another relevant organization or group which would have done it, suggesting that it was a scheme devised by Moldtelecom to earn more money from domestic calls. “Lowering international calling rates was a stalking-horse used by Moldtelecom to cover its intention to raise the rates on domestic calls, and the so-called letter of request from the diaspora was the pretext it needed to announce this measure and present it as a beneficent and even generous action”, the expatriate organizations said in a statement. The expatriates request the Moldovan authorities to annul the decision and investigate the case. They also request an audit to be performed at Moldtelecom in order to compare the company's loss as a result of lowering the rates on international calls and the amount earned from higher domestic phone charges. The 25 expatriate organizations represent Moldovan communities from Paris, Montreal, Rome, Novosibirsk and other locations around the globe.