The existence of the Iasi-Chisinau gas pipeline is already a very important thing and represents an alternative instrument in ensuring the Republic of Moldova with natural gas, the standing expert of IPN’s project Igor Boțan stated in a public debate titled “Gas pipeline between politics, economy and chance to live better”.
Igor Boțan noted the gas supplier, which is the only one for now in Moldova, is interested in not losing the client, which is the Republic of Moldova. This means that the objective factors in the formation of the gas price and in the purchase of gas by Moldova come to the forefront and the voluntary factor, of using political-geopolitical instruments in relation to Moldova, goes to the second place.
In another development, Igor Boțan said the problem of the gas pipeline is very important from the viewpoint of energy security. In 1992, the supply of gas was interrupted and the towns were rather seriously affected. The price paid by Moldova then was the signing of an agreement with Russia by which Russia became a peacekeeper in the Transnistrian conflict. Now the situation in the world seems to be different. “What shall we do now with the Turkish Stream? It is empty and unused after being built at a cost of 7 billion euros during two years. What shall we do with Nord Stream 2? In suspense! In general, the objectives were half reached and there was no prospect of supplying a quantity of gas to China. This is the political will,” he stated.
Igor Boțan considers the Iasi-Chisinau pipeline, from strategic viewpoint, has a very great weight. On September 28, the president of the Administration Board of Moldovagaz announced that the provisions of the Third Energy Package must be implemented in Moldova until December 31.
“In 2009, the Republic of Moldova accepted to join the European Energy Community, while in October 2011, Chisinau hosted the meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community. Then the Republic of Moldova signed an agreement by which it undertook to implement the Third Energy Package,” explained Igor Boțan. According to him, this energy package was to be implemented until 2015, but this wasn’t done. However, laws on natural gas and electrical energy were adopted meanwhile.
The public debate “Gas pipeline between politics, economy and chance to live better” was the 153rd installment of the series “Developing political culture through political debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
