The Republic of Moldova is ready for the winter season, President Maia Sandu assured. According to the official, Energocom stores gas so that the citizens are supplied with natural gas at reasonable prices in winter. President Sandu expressed her conviction that the Russian Federation can no longer blackmail the Republic of Moldova in terms of energy, noting that if Gazprom insists on the payment of inexistent debts, the official Chisinau will go to international courts, IPN reports.
The official said the Republic of Moldova today cannot be blackmailed with a halt in the gas supply through the agency of Russia’s Gazprom as there are now the necessary infrastructure and mechanisms for purchasing gas from the international market. Moldova does not intend to settle the inexistent debts claimed by Gazprom.
“The Republic of Moldova is an independent state. Since 2021, we have developed mechanisms to be able to purchase from elsewhere. Now the Russian Federation cannot blackmail us with the cessation of the gas supply. For eventual international disputes, we have an audit conducted by internationally renowned companies and we confidently can go and defend our position. Now Russia cannot blackmail us with a half in the gas supply. This had been a means of blackmail for 30 years. During two years, we managed to overcome this blackmail and can now discuss from another position. Even in 2021, when we didn’t have gas alternatives, we managed to say NO to this debt and said that it should be determined and this was a correct decision,” Maia Sandu stated in the program “In Depth” on ProTV Chisinau channel.
The official noted that the Republic of Moldova will secure its full energy independence when the high-voltage power lines Vulcănești-Chisinau and Balti-Suceava are constructed. The first line is to be ready in 2025, while the Balti-Suceava overhead power line will be operational in 2028.
“We stored gas for the winter season. It depends on how harsh the winter is, but the situation is much better than in the autumn of 2021. As regards electricity, we are yet vulnerable as we only started to build the line of interconnection with Romania and this will be ready in two years. The construction woks began in 2021, immediately after we came to power, but this is a project that lasts. We are discussing now with Romania and we hope to soon stat the construction of the second line that will connect us to the Romanian market and, respectively, to the European market. Only then we will be able to say that we are fully energy independent,” stated President Sandu.
In accordance with the project, the Balti-Suceava 400 kV overhead power line will be 138 km long. 90 km of this line will be built on the territory of Romania, while 48 km will be constructed on Moldova’s territory.
