Moldova may diminish its energy dependence by fulfilling the commitments assumed as a fully-fledged member of the European Energy Community, considers Ion Muntean, one of the authors of a study centering on Moldova's gas sector, which was launched by the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, Info-Prim Neo reports. Among these commitments, Muntean mentioned the interconnection of the national gas pipeline and power supply systems with Romania's and construction of a main for transporting natural gas from the neighboring country by the Drochia – Ungheni – Iasi route. It would allow importing natural gas from Romania into Moldova at least in crisis situations, as in 2006 and 2009, when Russia's Gazprom stopped exporting gas. Moldova can also import gas from Kazakhstan. Experts recommend continuing the feasibility studies for building gas stores and importing liquified petroleum gas through the port in Giurgiulesti. Moldova could also join the AGRI project, which envisions transporting gas by land and sea and increasing production of gas from biomass. According to Alexandru Fala, the second author of the study, the losses sustained by Moldova, including Transnistria, during the last three years by ignoring the possibility of importing gas from Romania and Kazakhstan total US$1.4 billion. “The price of the Russian gas continues to increase. The rise by 1 leu in the import price leads to the increase in the average charge for end-users by 1.22 lei and in the general level of prices and the slowdown in economic grow,” Alexandru Fala said. Nicolae Mogoreanu, the head of the Association of Energy Consumers, said the average gas charge for end-users could be reduced by negotiating more advantageous conditions for the supply of gas with Gazprom and strengthening Moldova's status of important transit country. Ion Preasca, commentator at the weekly Economistul, said some of the figures used by the experts are taken out of context. According to him, the gas pipelines through which Moldova would import gas from Kazakhstan are owned also by Gazprom and, after rejecting the offer made by ASCOM, Moldova will have to negotiate with the Kazakh state. Gas consumption in Moldova in 1994-2009 was about 1.194 billion cubic meters.