The energy sector is one of the most advanced chapters in the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession process, and Romania continues to play a key role in this effort. This statement was made by Moldova’s Minister of Energy, Dorin Junghietu, during the forum "Boosting the Absorption of European Funds by the Republic of Moldova – EU Candidate Country," held at the Chamber of Deputies of the Romanian Parliament, reports IPN.

"Although the Republic of Moldova does not yet benefit from EU pre-accession funds, we have access to a set of funds allocated by the European Union to mitigate the effects of crises and benefit from loans with advantageous interest rates from European banks," stated Dorin Junghietu.

The minister also highlighted Moldova’s progress in overcoming energy challenges, such as diversifying supply sources, managing price volatility in international markets, and collaborating with Romania in this regard.

"Since December 2022, the Republic of Moldova has no longer been dependent on Russian gas, and as of the beginning of this year, we are no longer reliant on electricity produced from Russian gas. These achievements demonstrate effective cooperation between neighboring countries and the positive impact of integration into the European energy market," added Dorin Junghietu.

The minister emphasized the crucial role of regional energy infrastructure interconnection. Projects connecting Moldova’s electricity and natural gas networks with Romania are top priorities. In this context, Junghietu reiterated the need to complete the Vulcanesti-Chisinau Energy Independence Line on schedule and to accelerate the other two interconnection projects, Balti-Suceava and Straseni-Gutinas.

Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu attended the 14th edition of the forum "Boosting the Absorption of European Funds by the Republic of Moldova – EU Candidate Country." The event brought together around 200 participants, serving as a platform for dialogue and experience-sharing between decision-makers from Moldova and Romania.