The bill to create the energy vulnerability reduction fund was given a first reading by the MPs on July 15. Subsidies will be provided from this fund for natural gas, heat and electricity so that the bills paid by the citizens are lower. The subsidization will be based on additional criteria, IPN quoted the head of the Parliament’s commission on social protection, health and family Dan Perciun as saying.

“Last year, subsidies were provided without differentiation between beneficiaries, but this year it is proposed a new approach for deciding the size of subsidies, which is based on a number of factors. The bill stipulates five energy vulnerability categories into which the citizens of the Republic of Moldova will be classified depending on the makeup of the family, the size of incomes, the used source of energy,” the MP told a news conference.

The state will also offer subsidies for replacing old home applies with energy-efficient ones, for modernizing individual heating systems and for insulating dwellings. ”The fund will include a separate line for financing such measures so that we reduce consumption, making use of more efficient energy generation methods,” stated Dan Perciun.

The fund envisions the possibility of financing other similar measures, such as the purchase of firewood or other necessities. The fund now consists of about 400 million lei allocated from the 2022 state budget and an additional 1 billion lei for 2023.

The bill is to be given a second reading and adopted by the end of July. An information system will be worked out to enable citizens to apply for subsidies online. The people will also be able to file an application in person.

About 1 million families benefitted from subsidies through bills in 2021.