According to the data of the company’s administration, more than 4 thousand burials are registered annually in Chisinau cemeteries. The main load falls on the cemetery of St. Lazar (“Doina”) – about 90% of all burials of Chisinau residents. This is one of the largest cemeteries in South-Eastern Europe (about 145 hectares), with more than 300 thousand graves.
Armenian cemetery: no places available
Due to the lack of available places at the Central Cemetery on Armianskaya Street, the lease of new plots has been terminated (with rare exceptions). Plots at the “Armyanskaya” are provided mainly to persons awarded with state honors. The closest relatives of those buried there also have the right to reserve plots on the basis of documents confirming the degree of kinship. In some cases, the General Mayor may approve the allocation of places for well-known personalities.
In conditions of territory deficit, the authorities allow the reuse of old graves. According to Ludmila Botsan, director of the enterprise, this is possible in case of abandoned graves – if the grave has not been cared for or paid for for 20 or more years. The reuse of old graves of relatives is possible seven years after the last burial.
“Cemetery” tariff
Taking into account the shortage of places and growing costs, the “cemetery” tariffs were increased by the decision of the Chisinau Municipal Council. Thus, the reservation of a place in the Central Cemetery is 9350 lei. Reservation of a plot in the St. Lazar cemetery costs 6800 lei, and in other cemeteries the price varies between 1190-2550 lei.
As for the tariff for burial, it is the highest at the “Armenian” cemetery – 2500 thousand lei. At “Doina” it is 1700 lei.
The annual payment for the maintenance of graves is unified – 240 lei for all cemeteries in Chisinau. However, war veterans, invalids of all three groups, pensioners are exempted from these payments.
