Russia aims to prolong the crisis and keep it on the public agenda until the parliamentary elections, diverting attention from development programs and fueling endless debate, President Maia Sandu stated during the second episode of a podcast featuring her.
The president emphasized that Moldova’s government, with support from the European Union, had provided emergency assistance to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis.
“We will introduce a medium-term plan. The EU is willing to provide resources to support people on both the right and left banks of the Dniester. We also aim to compensate for rising electricity tariffs on the right bank,” Maia Sandu said.
She noted that Chisinau needed more precise data to deliver natural gas to the Transnistrian region, as these supplies should benefit households and social institutions.
“Chisinau must ensure that gas reaches households, kindergartens, and hospitals. This process requires transparency, not just the transfer of energy volumes that could be used for private interests,” she added.
Regarding the energy situation, Sandu pointed out that Russia’s objective is to prolong the crisis as much as possible.
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“Russia refuses to deliver gas to the left bank of the Dniester. Gazprom faces no obstacles in supplying gas to the Transnistrian region. From Russia’s perspective, the longer the crisis lasts, the better. The challenges will increase on both banks, costs will rise, and tensions between them will escalate. Russia is counting on a prolonged crisis to dominate public discourse until the parliamentary elections, drawing attention away from development programs,” Sandu stated.
On January 31, Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced that Moldova would receive €64 million in non-repayable support from the European Union to address the energy crisis.
Of this amount, €30 million will finance gas and electricity purchases for both Dniester’s banks. Specifically, €20 million will cover natural gas procurement as humanitarian aid for the Transnistrian region, while €10 million will go toward electricity purchases for the right bank. Another €34 million will provide budgetary support.
Despite existing contractual commitments, Russian energy giant Gazprom halted gas deliveries to Moldova on January 1, 2025, redirecting the entire supply to the Transnistrian region.