Prime Minister Vasile Tofan says the government will not be able to provide energy compensation to the same number of households this winter as it did last year, when support reached approximately 80% of eligible households.
Speaking on the “Pe fata” programme on Moldova 1, Tofan said the government would focus available resources on people and families most in need of assistance.
According to the prime minister, maintaining last year’s level of support would require around 3.8 billion lei, funds that the government does not currently have available.
“The challenge for our government is how we help those who need it most. Because every leu we give has to be taken from somewhere – from teachers, farmers, roads. We have to take that leu from somewhere,” Tofan said.
Government Considering Targeted Support
Authorities are preparing several options for a new compensation mechanism. One proposal would fully cover the increase in energy costs for the most vulnerable households.
The government has not yet decided how many categories of consumers will receive assistance. Tofan said several scenarios are being assessed depending on available resources and the amount of financial support that can be secured.
“I cannot tell you that we have to help the most vulnerable 30%, or the most vulnerable 40%, or the most vulnerable 50%. We will come up with a series of scenarios and look at how much money we have available,” the prime minister said.
At the same time, the government is negotiating with European partners over grants that could be used to finance energy compensation. Authorities are also looking for ways to reduce certain costs in the natural gas sector.
“When we see all the results, what we have managed to obtain, we will have to decide how much money we are ready to allocate. But I want to assure you that the most vulnerable people will certainly be covered and will not feel these price increases,” Tofan said.
Last Year, 621,000 Households Received Compensation
Last year, around 800,000 households were potentially eligible for energy compensation, of which approximately 621,000 received support – nearly 80%.
The government estimates that this proportion cannot be maintained during the upcoming cold season.
The issue has become more pressing following the decision of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) on August 21 to increase the household natural gas tariff to 20.30 lei per cubic meter, including VAT, from the current 14.42 lei.
Energy experts have warned that the higher natural gas tariff could also lead to an increase in heating costs.