UNGHENI-CHISINAU GAS PIPELINE WILL NOT BE COMMISSIONED IN 2019 – EXPERT

The building of the Ungheni-Chisinau natural gas pipeline will no way be concluded by end 2019 and the authorities will be forced to again agree with the Russian Gazprom, said expert in energy, ex-Director of the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) Victor Parlicov.

According to him, Moldova sold the national operator VestMoldTransGaz to Romania, explaining this with the desire to accelerate the building, but this did not happen, bercause just the initiation of works went on for an entire year.

“Back in 2017 we have been told that after the selling of the VestMoldTransGaz to the Romanian company Transgaz we will accelerate the process, but this never happened. The Government transmitted the responsibility for the construction of the entire infrastructure to the Romanian side. However, risks for Moldova’s energy security are still laying on us”, the expert says.

He maintains that due to breaking of building plans the Moldovan authorities will be conducting negotiations with Russia on the new gas contract from the position of a weak side and will be unable to achieve more profitable conditions.

As Infotag has already reported, Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Daniel Ionita said to journalists in November 2018 that the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline will start functioning by the end of 2019. Equivalent statements were made by Prime Minister Pavel Filip, according to him, until the end of 2019 Moldova will have an alternative to the Russian has, which can cover 100% of country’s needs in natural gas.