Gazprom opposes an audit of the debts accumulated by Moldovagaz, which is envisioned in the protocol signed by Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu and the chief of the Russian company Alexey Miller. A letter disseminated by the Moldovan press shows Gazprom does not support the idea of conducting an external audit at Moldovagaz. Experts describe the situation as a new element of the hybrid war waged by Russia against Moldova, IPN reports.
According to a letter sent by representatives of Gazprom to the president of Moldovagaz, the Russian gas giant does not accept an audit of the debts accumulated by the company and demands that these debts should be cleared.
“On January 20, when a sum was again allocated from the state budget for subsidies, for the direct benefit of Moldovagaz and Gazprom, a meeting of the Supervisory Board of Moldovagaz was convoked in the evening on the initiative of Gazprom. There, the representatives of the Government were told that the audit in the form proposed by the Republic of Moldova is not accepted. This opinion of Gazprom takes us to the conclusion that the protocol signed by Spînu and Miller on October 29 is worthless. Gazprom continues its hybrid war policy and probably gets ready for an economic war with the Republic of Moldova, judging by the monthly energy crises, the much higher gas consumption of the Kuchurgan Power Plan and this reaction to the audit,” former PPPDA MP Alexandru Slusari stated in the program “Secrets of the Power” on JurnalTV channel.
Police commentators shift the responsibility onto Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu, the chief negotiator of Moldova, and accuse him of signing an agreement that runs counter to the national interests.
“Andrei Spînu signed a defective protocol. I have objections to the way in which the point concerning the audit from the protocol was formulated. An audit of debts means an audit of what we consumed, not the audit of the company and its work. If we go to international arbitration courts and demand that Gazprom should cover the losses generated by Moldovagaz, they will show us this protocol signed by the representative of the Moldovan Government,” stated political commentator Valeriu Pașa.
For their part, representatives of the government said Gazprom’s decision was predictable and the Deputy Prime Minister will provide more details on the issue.
“The Government will come with a reaction to this letter. We should not make a fuss. It was expected that Gazprom will not accept a complex, functional and legal audit that would show how Moldovagaz amassed those debts,” said PAS MP Alexandru Trubca.
Under the additional protocol to the contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom, Moldovagaz is to pay its debts of about $700 million to Gazprom following an external audit. The sides agreed that a debt repayment schedule will be negotiated after the accumulated debts are determined exactly.
