TRANSNISTRIAN GOVERNMENT GOING TO SUPPLY MORE FREE GAS TO NEEDY POPULATION GROUPS

The Transnistrian authorities are going to build up the social norm of free natural gas for socially privileged population categories, as per the draft governmental resolution, which the cabinet has just sent to the Transnistrian supreme soviet [parliament] for consideration and approval.

In this draft resolution, the government proposes to provide extra 70 cubic meters of natural gas a month throughout the heating season for sole pensioners, for the families of the invalids of the Transnistrian armed conflict who have passed away, and for pensioners resigning in private cottages having autonomous heating.

According to the legislation in force, the social norm for sole pensioners is currently 140 cubic meters of free gas a month throughout the heating season. In case the supreme soviet approves the government-proposed amendments, this norm will be raised to 210 cubic meters per month. So, the recipients of the new social privilege will be saving additional 50 rubles a month.

For many years, the Transnistrian government has kept low gas tariffs for private consumers – without paying for the fuel to the Russian Gazprom Concern. The payments for gas, coming from the population as well as from legal entities, are not remitted to Russia for the gas but are accumulated on a special account and are redistributed by the Transnistrian authorities to cover the budget deficit. As a result, the gas arrears owed by Moldovagaz have by now exceeded US$6 billion, of which 95% is owed by the Transnistrian region. Gazprom supplies to the Republic of Moldova about 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year.