Heating compensation queue in Soroca ends in tragedy
A woman has reportedly died in Soroca, Moldova, after spending several hours queuing to apply for heating compensation. The incident has prompted criticism of the authorities over the organisation of assistance for elderly and low-income residents.
The death was reported on Facebook by Aliona Pilipetscaia, a member of parliament representing the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM). According to the MP, the woman had been waiting for hours to submit her application when she died at the scene.
Expressing condolences to the woman’s family and loved ones, Pilipetscaia blamed the authorities’ poor organisation for the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
“Why should elderly people and those on low incomes have to stand in queues for hours just to register for assistance? Why have proper arrangements not been made for those who cannot submit an application online?”
The MP also drew attention to the anxiety experienced by pensioners who depend on government assistance to pay their heating bills.
“People are afraid of losing their compensation, afraid they won’t make it in time, afraid they won’t survive. And instead of relieving this pressure, the state forces them to endure hours of queuing and anxiety,” Pilipetscaia said.
MP demands better access to heating compensation
Pilipetscaia stressed that many of those waiting in queues are people who have worked throughout their lives but now struggle to cover basic living expenses.
In old age, she argued, they are being forced to spend hours standing outside government offices simply to apply for help with utility bills. They must effectively demonstrate that their income is insufficient to pay for heating and that they qualify for financial assistance.
For people already struggling with poor health and limited resources, the application process can become an additional burden rather than a source of relief.
The MP called on the government to take immediate action to improve the organisation of public services, particularly for elderly people who cannot use online application systems.
She demanded clearer information for applicants and arrangements that would allow vulnerable residents to receive assistance without spending hours in queues.
According to Pilipetscaia, the tragedy in Soroca should not be treated as just another sad news story. She believes the authorities must reconsider how they deal with citizens seeking support and ensure that the process does not place their health and wellbeing at risk.
The fundamental responsibility of the state, she argued, is to protect people rather than expose them to additional hardship when they are already struggling financially.
“This was someone’s mother, grandmother, someone close to them… A human life is not a statistical figure!”
For Pilipetscaia, the woman’s death should serve as a warning that access to heating compensation in Moldova must be organised around the needs of vulnerable citizens, rather than expecting them to endure exhausting queues for assistance they cannot afford to lose.
