At a meeting on November 25, 2024, between former Energy Minister Victor Parlicov and Gazprom chief Alexei Miller, the Russian businessman did not inform the Moldovan official about potential gas supply stoppages. Moldovagaz chief Vadim Ceban made this statement on RLIVE TV. There, he described the decision as politically motivated.
Ceban stated that Moldovagaz officials were not caught off guard. They had anticipated possible cut-offs but hoped they would not occur. According to Ceban, representatives of the Moldovan company believed that the reasons for such actions would differ from the agreement’s expiration on Russian gas transit through Ukraine.
Ceban said on the program “Rezoomat” with Ileana Pirgaru:
“I believe Gazprom does not make these decisions alone. In my view, the situation exceeds the competence of both Moldovagaz and Gazprom. Gazprom’s arguments, such as alleged debts or debt claims, are commercial. However, if Gazprom cannot recover these debts, nothing prevents it from pursuing legal enforcement through the courts.”
The head of Moldovagaz also emphasized that the company’s specialists maintain operational and commercial cooperation with Russian counterparts.
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Russia has strongly accused Moldova, Ukraine, and Western countries of causing the Transnistrian energy crisis. Meanwhile, President Maia Sandu suggested during a visit to the security zone that gas could bypass Ukraine via the TurkStream pipeline. Sandu also discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the possibility of Transnistria purchasing coal from Ukraine in exchange for electricity. However, she noted that implementing such solutions requires agreements from Moscow and Tiraspol.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean argued that the decisions of the self-proclaimed authorities lack autonomy. During a trip to Varnița, he revealed that Moldova’s constitutional authorities had proposed mediating the purchase of gas from alternative sources for the separatist administration, but the separatist administration rejected the proposal. Conversely, separatist leader Vadim Krasnoselski claimed that no one had offered such support.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov evaded the issue, stating that Transnistria relied on Russian gas until January 1, 2025. Meanwhile, a Russian diplomatic spokeswoman described the decision to cut energy resources to the region as “neo-Nazism.”
As officials in Moscow, Chisinau, and Tiraspol continue trading accusations, residents on the left bank of the Dniester have been without heat and gas since January 1, with power outages lasting up to eight hours daily. The Cuciurgan power station has switched to coal and ceased supplying electricity to the right bank of the river. Consequently, the constitutional authorities have resorted to purchasing electricity on the stock market, causing a sharp rise in electricity and heating tariffs.