Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said the natural gas rates can remain high until April as the purchase price of gas is expected to decline in spring only. The current contract with Gazprom enables Moldova to purchase natural gas from other sources too, but the price offered now by Russia is the most advantageous one, IPN reports.

Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu admitted that the gas rate that was calculated by Moldovagaz and was accepted by the National Agency for Energy Regulation is very high, but said that the new rate is influenced by the purchase price of gas. According to him, the forecasts on the international market are not very optimistic for this winter.

“The rate this month was determined depending on the purchase price of gas. If the purchase price declines, we will have a reduction in the rate. During the last few days, the prices on the international market started to rise again, to under US$1,000 per 1,000 cubic meters. If we analyze the stock exchange prices, we see that a considerable decline is expected in April only,” Andrei Spînu tated in the program “Shadow Cabinet” on JurnalTV channel.

He reaffirmed that the gas price calculation formula is not made public because it represents a commercial secret, noting that the contract with Gazprom does not ban Moldova from purchasing gas from other sources if the price is lower than Russia’s.

“In accordance with the contract, monthly and annual shipment volumes will be set until October 2022. The legislation enables Energocom or another company to purchase gas from other sources and to supply it to consumers. If the price of gas decreases and we will have a competitive market, other companies can buy and bring gas and can find clients to which to sell it,” stated Andrei Spînu.

Moldova signed a five-year contract for the purchase of gas with Gazprom. The purchase price of gas for November is US$450 per 1,000 cubic meters. The National Agency for Energy Regulation approved a temporary gas rate for November for end users at 10.26 lei per cubic meter of gas. The rate together with VAT is 11.08 lei. To help the citizens pay the gas and heat bills, the Government will offer compensations to residential consumers depending on the consumed amounts of gas and on the size of their incomes. The business community will not get compensations.