Natural gas for the citizens on the left bank of the Dniester will be purchased on the European exchange at market prices. The announcement was made by Constantin Borosan, State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, after the alleged authorities from the left bank of the Dniester River announced that Tiraspoltransgaz is ready to make purchases through Moldovagaz. Borosan explained that this compromise formula was proposed to the separatist leaders as early as January 2, IPN reports.
According to Constantin Borosan, at the beginning of January, the constitutional authorities in Chisinau proposed to the Transnistrian region's leaders to purchase gas on the European gas exchange through Moldovagaz, the only company that can deliver gas to the left bank of the Dniester.
"On December 31 Moldovagaz and Energocom carried out a test purchase on the Bulgarian gas exchange and successfully delivered gas to Moldova. On January 2, we told Tiraspoltransgaz that the test purchase was successful, but they refused help. We see that we are going back to exactly what we mentioned at the beginning. Unfortunately, we have lost time that could have been put to good use. All this time, people on the left bank have been without heat and electricity," Constantin Borosan told Radio Moldova's "La 360 de grade" program.
Constantin Borosan also explained that Tiraspoltransgaz will be obliged to pay the market price for the gas purchased by Moldovagaz. According to the official, the volumes of gas purchased for the left bank will be sufficient only for the region's domestic consumption, without the possibility of producing electricity at the Cuciurgan power plant, intended for the right bank.
"It is now a question of Tiraspoltransgaz buying gas. The price will be the market price. The purchase price now varies daily. This gas is purchased either on the stock exchange platform or through bilateral contracts, its origin is the stock exchange or energy market. This is the mechanism that can work. We understand that the volumes purchased will only cover the needs of the left bank and will not be used to produce electricity," said the energy ministry's state secretary.
Separatist leader Vadim Krasnoselski has announced that Tiraspoltransgaz will start purchasing gas through Moldovagaz, in accordance with legal provisions. A letter to this effect was sent on Saturday to Moldovagaz acting president Vadim Ceban.
