PRESIDENT DODON, GAZPROM HEAD DISCUSS RUSSIAN GAS SUPPLYING TO MOLDOVA

President Igor Dodon met with Head of Gazprom Alexei Miller in Moscow. He wrote on his Facebook page that the main topic of discussion was the supplying of Russian natural gas to Moldova.

“I had a meeting with Chairman of the Gazprom Alexei Miller. We discussed the natural gas supplying to Moldova and the formation of price policy for improving the position of the Moldovan consumer. The meeting took place in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. I thanked Alexei Miller for understanding and respectful attitude to Moldova and the Moldovan people. We agreed to keep discussing the joint cooperation projects”, Dodon wrote.

Before, he was saying he intends to discuss with the Gazprom leadership the possibility of lowering the Russian gas import price for Moldova. He said Moldova can achieve a lower price with condition of integration in the Eurasian Economic Union, where the republic got the status of observer last year.

Currently the price on which Gazprom is supplying gas to Moldova is slightly lower than US$200 for 1 thousand cubic meters. According to the agreement, it is changed once in 3 months, depending on the prices on the world market. Over the last year, the gas import price for Moldova was considerably lowered, though consumers keep paying on the basis of the price of almost US$300 for 1 thousand cubic meters.

Igor Dodon also intended to discuss with Alexei Miller the candidature of new director of Moldovagaz company. This post remains vacant after Vasile Botnari, appointed in 2016, headed the Moldovan Information and Security Service a year ago. Moldovagaz Director is appointed at the proposal of Gazprom with Moldovan Government’s consent. Last week, Dodon stated to journalists that the new director will be appointed to the enterprise after the February 24 parliamentary elections and the appointment of a new Cabinet of Ministers.

Infotag’s dossier: Over recent years, the Moldovan authorities are by all means hiding the details about buying, supplying and using of the Russian gas. The National Energy Regulatory Agency fails to publish the data of energy market monitoring for the second consecutive year and the society know neither the price, nor the volumes of gas procurement and its supplying to consumers, or the losses, or the size of Moldova’s payments and debts to the Gazprom. A similar situation is in the field of electricity.