Forty-eight employees of the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) Friday received the keys to new apartments. The apartment building located on Cuza Voda St in Chisinau was constructed by the Chisinau Municipal Mortgage Agency (AMIC), Info-Prim Neo reports. AMIC director Petru Pripa said the building includes 104 apartments, 48 of witch are designed for employees of the UTM. The rest will be put up for sale. The 48 apartments were sold at reduced prices. The company’s director refused to specify the reduction, but said it was considerable. The discounts were offered under an agreement between the construction company and the university, which provided the land on which the building was erected. Petru Pripa said that the second block with 80 apartments for UTM teachers will be ready in a year. Under the contract, the apartments are available in ‘white variant’, i.e. not fully ready. UTM rector Ion Bostan said the building can be considered a social house as the prices varied from €220 to €484 per square meter, depending on the storey. Those who received apartments today are mainly teachers who live in dormitories. Now they will move to new apartments and will free the places in dorms for students. Ion Bostan said that besides this building, there will be erected another two. The lower floors will accommodate the university’s canteen, while another floor will house creation centers for students of the Architecture Faculty. The three stories will be given to the UTM free of charge. The ceremony to hand the keys over was attended by Prime Minister Vlad Filat and Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca. The latter gave the owners the keys and by an icon as a present. Lecturer Lilia Popescu said she managed to buy the apartment at a good price. Another owner, Rodica Hotescu said she was glad that she can pay for the apartment in installments. The 48 persons hope they will be able to move to the new apartments by summer. According to Petru Pripa, the building erected on Cuza Voda St is not the first project implemented in cooperation with the UTM. One year ago, there was constructed a block with 120 apartments, 60 of which were given to UTM lecturers.