The Russian Federation uses gas as an energy weapon to achieve its geopolitical objectives. Expert Sergiu Tofilat made this statement during a public debate on “The First Lessons of the Energy Crisis in the Eastern Region,” organized by the IPN News Agency. During the dispute, Tofilat reviewed Moldova-Russia relations from 2021 to the present, explaining how Moscow has pressured the Republic of Moldova to use energy resources.
“In 2021, parliamentary elections took place. A pro-European government came to power, and it disagreed with the Kremlin’s views. And gas became a weapon against the Republic of Moldova. The gas price calculation formula changed at that time. We had to pay a gas price based on the spot market, which was then twice as high,” explained energy analyst Sergiu Tofilat, a member of the “Impreuna” Political Bloc.
Tofilat pointed out that Russia exploited Moldova’s energy system vulnerabilities to achieve its goals. These weaknesses included the country’s dependence on energy imports and the lack of alternative sources of natural gas at the time.
FOR THE MOSTÂ IMPORTANT NEWS, FOLLOW US ONÂ TWITTER!
“Moscow took advantage of our energy system’s flaws, such as the reliance on energy imports and the inability to buy gas from other sources at that time. Russia also exploited our energy system, built during the Soviet period, and relied heavily on MGRES, which continues to use Russian gas,” the expert stated.
At the same time, Sergiu Tofilat emphasized that the energy crisis in the Transnistrian region, although artificially created by Russia, had beneficial effects on the Republic of Moldova. High energy prices spurred the development of key sectors for the country’s future energy, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy production.
“The high price of energy resources, as strange as it may seem, drives the development of other sectors, such as energy efficiency and renewable sources,” Tofilat emphasized.
The public debate on “The First Lessons of the Energy Crisis in the Eastern Region” is part of the “IPN News Agency for Social Cohesion and Pro-European Moldova” project, funded by IMS.