Starting from last midnight, PECO Metan-Auto has stopped selling liquefied gas at all of its gas stations in the Transnistrian region. Only emergency and paramilitary services are allowed to purchase gas. The authorities in the region have not provided any official explanations, while residents are spreading information through social networks, according to IPN.
Notices regarding the cessation of sales appeared at gas stations in the afternoon of June 5th – without any prior notification from the Transnistrian administration or the gas station network’s management. The announcements stated that gas sales were suspended “due to supply restrictions” and will be resumed through a separate order.
Lines at gas stations
Metan-Auto owns 11 gas stations in the region: in Tiraspol, Bender, Râbnița (two stations), Grigoriopol, Dubasari, Slobozia, Sucleia, Ternovca, Podoima, and Pervomaisc.
On June 5, queues formed at all Metan-Auto stations. Previously, locals also found that hot water had been shut off, with “technical reasons” being cited in the preparation process for the heating season.
The local press did not reflect the disconnections. The information was disseminated through informal channels like Telegram and blogs, where users asked questions about the causes of the crisis. In one of the posts published on local platforms, citizens addressed the region’s leader with a request to allow gas supply for citizens at least once every two weeks: “Please provide us with the basic opportunity to commute to work.”
There are concerns on social media regarding the fact that the situation resembles the crisis in January, when the region faced a gas shortage and widespread power outages.
