PRESIDENT DODON SAYS THAT ACCORDS REACHED WITH RUSSIA ARE PERMITTING TO AVOID GAS TARIFF RAISING

President Igor Dodon stated at his news conference on Monday that all the accords reached with the Russian Gazprom Concern are permitting not to raise the gas tariff for ultimate consumers here.

Dodon reminded that he had visited Moscow twice last week: on September 2 he met there with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, who is President Vladimir Putin’s Special Representative for the development of trade and economic relations with the Republic of Moldova, and with Russian Gazprom Concern President Alexei Miller, and on September 7 – with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We have reached an agreement that from October 1, 2019 the tariff of the Russian natural gas supplied to Moldova will be lowered by US$10-15 per a thousand cubic meters. This permits us not to raise tariffs for local ultimate consumers. And from January 1, 2020 one more price lowering is possible by another US$40-50, and from April 1, 2020 – by US$70. In such case, a slight tariff lowering will be even possible. At any rate, there will be no growth of tariffs for local consumers”, said Igor Dodon.

In his words, in the present-day situation, a tariff growth was almost inevitable because the real price of Russian gas is now standing at US$235 per a thousand cubic meters, whereas the current tariff set by Moscow for Moldova makes US$178.

“So, the difference is US$57 in our favor. And thanks to the said accords, there shall be no tariff growth here. Besides this, there are certain internal reserves available with Moldovagaz [Moldova-Russia joint company], and these will be engaged as well”, said the President.

Igor Dodon highlighted the growth of Moldovan exports to the Russian Federation. He thanked President Putin for extending the regime of Moldovan duty-free exportation to Russia of Moldova’s 5 main categories of goods.

“Thanks to this, in 2019 the exports of our fruit and vegetables to Russia have already grown by 35%, of canned food by 31%, and of wines – by 42%. In the course of the conversation with President Putin, we agreed that this trade regime will be preserved until December 31, 2019, after which it will be extended”, said Igor Dodon.

In his words, the questions of development of trade and economic relations between the two countries will be discussed at the meeting of the Moldova-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation to be held in Chisinau on September 18-19. The Commission’s last such working session was held in November 2016.

And on September 20-21 the two countries will hold their 2nd Moldo-Russian Economic Forum. It will be attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Russian Savings Bank President Gherman Gref, the representatives of all the ministries of the Government of Moldova, and nearly one thousand Russian people of business.