Prime Minister Dorin Recean assured that the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will announce new measures to support the population in response to the National Agency for Energy Regulation’s decision to increase the gas charge. He confirmed that the government will allocate additional funds for compensatory payments to ease the financial burden on consumers, as reported by IPN.
Prime Minister Recean also highlighted that Energy Minister Victor Parlicov arranged a meeting with Gazprom chief Alexei Miller in Chisinau. He stressed the government’s commitment to finding solutions for citizens on both sides of the Nistru River. Recean warned that if Gazprom fails to deliver gas to the left bank, it could lead to a humanitarian crisis, with serious repercussions for the social situation on the right bank.
’’We buy electricity for the right bank of the Nistru from Kuchurgan. The cheapest electricity we can purchase is from Kuchurgan because Gazprom supplies gas to the left bank of the Nistru. It’s our responsibility to ensure the lowest electricity rates for Moldova’s citizens, and Kuchurgan offers those rates. Minister Parlicov’s talks with Gazprom are crucial. Additionally, 350,000 people live on the left bank of the Nistru, over 280,000 of whom are Moldovan citizens. If these people are left without electricity and heating, it would create a humanitarian disaster. Anyone who believes this won’t affect the right bank is being irresponsible. We must defend the interests of all Moldovan citizens on both sides of the river,’’ Recean stated during the ’’Good Evening’’ program on Moldova 1.
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Moscow has conditioned gas deliveries to the left bank on the payment of a disputed $700 million debt, which Chisinau refuses to recognize.
’’Gazprom tried to link the supplies to payment of a non-existent debt. We will not pay that debt. It’s important for citizens on the left bank to know that Chisinau is supporting them while Moscow works against them,’’ the Prime Minister affirmed.
Regarding the NAER’s decision to raise the gas charge, Recean assured that the government will prevent citizens from facing high bills this winter. He confirmed that vulnerable groups will receive compensation.
’’We cannot allow Moldovan citizens to face higher bills this season. I know there were discussions about purchasing gas. I want to remind everyone that prices have fluctuated this year, making it difficult for experts to predict gas prices reliably. During next week’s parliamentary hearings, each institution will report on its actions and shortcomings. The government’s priority now is to take care of its citizens, and we will do so. I’ve instructed Minister Buzu to calculate the additional compensation needed to prevent citizens from paying more in bills. Preliminary calculations are ready. After the NAER meeting, Minister Buzu will announce additional support measures. We’ll allocate more funds for compensatory payments, which is why we postponed the budget revision to support the population,’’ the Prime Minister explained.
On November 29, the NAER approved a new gas charge of 15.5 lei (16.74 lei with VAT) per cubic meter, up from the current rate of 13.12 lei (VAT included).