The Government is preparing a social package to the value of over 1 billion lei for providing compensations for the higher natural gas rate, said the head of the Parliament’s commission on social protection, health and family Dan Perciun. According to the MP, a part of the money allocated for paying compensations represents the financial support of €60 million provided by the EU to help Moldova cope with the energy crisis, IPN reports.

PAS MP Dan Perciun said the social package prepared by the executive to help the citizens cope with the natural gas rates that are expected to rise 2.5 times will be presented on November 10.

“It goes to the cold-month allowance that will be increased. First of all, the number of families that will be eligible for such assistance will rise. We speak about hundreds of thousands of families. Secondly, the compensation will be included in gas bills. The size of compensation will be different, depending on the consumed amount of gas. For the first 50 cubic meters of gas, the sum will be higher, while for the next 50 cubic meters of gas, it will be lower. We did calculations and obtained a figure of over 1 billion lei. A part of the money will represent the assistance offered by the EU, but state budget funds will also be necessary,” Dan Perciun stated in the talk show “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.

The extraparliamentary opposition called on the government to provide compensations also to businesses so as to prevent consecutive rises in food prices.

“We also have the NBM forecast concerning the rate of inflation, which is expected to be by 14% higher next year. Besides the natural gas rates, there are also other prices and tariffs that will impact the citizens. The prices of coal and wood grew. These persons who are primarily from rural areas should be helped. Compensation should be also offered to the entrepreneurs who use gas in production as we risk witnessing consecutive price rises if the natural gas rate is doubled,” said ex-PPPDA MP Liviu Vovc.

Last week, Moldovagaz requested the National Agency for Energy Regulation to increase the natural gas rate from 4.29 lei to 10.26 lei for 1 cubic meter of gas. According to Moldovagaz CEO Vadim Ceban, the asked rate is 90% based on the purchase price of gas. The new rates will be applied staring with November 1.