The European Commission transferred €11.6 million to Moldova within the program “Support to the Energy Sector Reform”. The first tranche of €13 million within the €40 million program was transferred to the state budget in December 2011, IPN reports.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar told a news conference that the budgetary support program in the energy sector promotes a series of activities with the aim of increasing the security of energy deliveries, developing an efficient energy environment and modernizing the energy system of Moldova.

“The energy sector is one of the main sectors where the community acquis was implemented, based on the commitments made within the Energy Community Treaty in 2010. The energy strategy 2030 stipulates two political objectives: to ensure the energy security and to reduce the energy bill of the country and of every consumer,” said Valeriu Lazar.

The Head of the EU Delegator to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said the reforms in the energy sector will transform Moldova’s economy into an efficient one. “The benefits of the reforms we support by this program will be felt by all the Moldovan citizens, by the access to diversified energy sources and by lower energy costs,” he stated.

The program is one of the five budget support operations to the value of over €216 million that are being implemented in different sectors.