Moldovan authorities introduced a state of emergency for 30 days due to gas shortage

Due to the gas shortage, the Moldovan Parliament voted to introduce a state of emergency in the country. About it writes Open.

According to the newspaper, the regime will operate from October 22 to November 20.

Earlier in Moldova, due to the energy crisis, there was introduced high alert mode. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilica stressed that the introduction of the state of emergency is a technical solution, thanks to which the Moldovan authorities will be able to purchase the necessary volume of natural gas from alternative sources in the event of an emergency.

The crisis was caused by a sharp rise in fuel prices, as well as difficulties in negotiating a new long-term contract with Gazprom for the supply of gas. The contract between Russia and Moldova was signed in 2006 and subsequently extended several times. The current contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom expired on September 30, and negotiations on its extension have not yet been completed. So far, the parties have agreed only on supplies for October. Moreover, Moldova will have to buy gas at a price of $ 790 per 1,000 cubic meters, while in September the price was $ 550 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Taking into account Transnistria, Moldova consumes on average 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The share of consumption of the right-bank part of Moldova is 1.1 billion cubic meters. The debt of Transnistria for natural gas has already exceeded $ 7 billion. Despite the payment for the gas consumed by industrial and household consumers, the regional authorities are accumulating this money in the so-called “gas account”. These funds cover the budget deficit of the self-proclaimed republic, the size of which reaches 45-50%.

Gas prices in Europe, Gazprom’s main export market, began to rise in April, and in autumn, amid the growing energy crisis, they reached record levels. On October 6, the cost of 1,000 cubic meters of gas exceeded $ 1,900.