Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu assured that the Republic of Moldova will not remain without natural gas in winter. He said that discussions are being held with representatives of the Russian gas company Gazprom and with other natural gas suppliers. As the gas rates are high, the state will provide subsidies, through bills, to consumers with low incomes and to business entities, IPN reports.
The Speaker noted that the developments in Ukraine generate unpredictability on the international energy market, but the Republic of Moldova will not remain without natural gas. Owing to a €300 million loan from the EBRD, Moldova will be able to store gas for winter.
“We are discussing intensely with the European partners and other suppliers. We will surely continue to discuss with Gazprom through the agency of Moldovagaz. But the lesson we learned last October showed that we need to diversify the sources. In Parliament, we will approve the raising of a €300 million loan for making natural gas purchases for the cold season. We are having a dialog with the Romanian partners, with those from Ukraine and the European ones. We will definitely have gas,” Igor Grosu stated in the talk show “Shadow Cabinet” on JurnalTV channel.
He said the energy vulnerability level of each household will be determined depending on the incomes per family member, the size of costs for energy consumption and the type of used heating. A package of measures to help the citizens is being prepared. There will be adopted a program intended for consumers from villages so that they are supplied with firewood.
“The mayors of localities will have to compile the lists and to make sure that the most vulnerable ones are put on the lists. Moldsilva Agency will deal with the transportation of firewood with the assistance of ANTA. We will have to intervene to additionally motivate day workers who will fell trees. We will also ask civil society to help us supply the wood to those who need. I mean older persons, families with many children, persons with disabilities. We must find solutions to pass winter,” stated Igor Grosu.
The National Agency for Energy Regulation presented a draft decision by which it partially accepted the request of Moldovagaz to increase the natural gas rates. The Agency is to approve a rate of 22.27 lei per cubic meter of gas with VAT included. The new rate is to start to be applied on August 1.