Economic expert Viorel Gârbu said the negotiations between Chisinau and Moscow on the signing of a new contract for the supply of gas are ‘awkward’. By making purchases at exorbitant prices in the recent past, Moldova transmits to Gazprom the message that it can afford to pay the market price of natural gas. For his part, lawyer Ion Dron said President Maia Sandu should become involved in the talks with Russia, IPN reports.

Jurist Ion Dron said the authorities’ rhetoric concerning the “commercial relationship” between Moldovagaz and Gazprom is harmful to Moldova as the political factor has always dominated in the talks with Moscow. President Maia Sandu tries to dissociate herself with the energy crisis faced by the Republic of Moldova.

“From political viewpoint, Maia Sandu has a problem that dominates her permanently. It goes to the rating. She is concerned about her political future. She didn’t become involved because this situation spoils her image. She will play the fanfare when a contract is signed officially. For now, any public appearance on the issue affects her rating. But the true leader is the one who manages a crisis situation,” Ion Dron stated in the program “The Fourth Estate” on N4 TV channel.

For his part, economic expert Viorel Gârbu expressed his bewilderment at the authorities’ decision to purchase natural gas at the market price when the Moldovan negotiators in the talks with Gazprom insist on a preferential price.

“Natalia Gavrilița implied that the gas is bought at the market price, of about US$1,000. Things are difficult and the authorities do not want to admit that they accepted such a high price. The negotiations with the Russian Federation are awkward and are based on the argument that we are poor and they should sell us gas to the limit of our purchasing capacity. In parallel, we make very expensive, even luxurious purchases. My fear is that we are trapped in a more complex game that we do not control and allow to be taken by different political currents going through the region. We allow to be engaged in geopolitical games and this is a risk,” said Viorel Gârbu.

The energy crisis led to the declaring of a state of emergency for 30 days in Moldova. For this period, the procedure for purchasing natural gas was implied and the state-owned company Energocom was mandated to buy natural gas from the international market. The contracts for the first two purchases of 1 million cubic meters of natural gas each were signed with the Polish company PGNiG and the Dutch company Vitol.