The Republic of Moldova could negotiate with Ukraine to purchase natural gas available for export at market prices. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said the authorities intend to discuss the issue with their Ukrainian counterparts during a visit to Kyiv, although he did not specify when the visit would take place, IPN reports.
Speaking on a television program, the prime minister said Ukraine had recently proposed lifting the moratorium on gas exports in order to generate additional budget revenue. However, the volumes available for export are relatively small, as the gas is extracted in the Poltava and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
According to the prime minister, Moldova could secure a more favorable price by signing a long-term contract lasting three to five years, which would guarantee the purchase of certain volumes of gas. One-off purchases, by contrast, would be priced close to market rates.
At the same time, imports from Ukraine could reduce transportation costs due to the shorter distance.