There is complete uncertainty about the supply of Russian natural gas to Moldova after October 1. Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said the Russian side hasn’t yet provided a clear response as to the provision of gas to Moldova after this date. If Russia does not stop the gas supplies to Moldova after October 1, the purchase price of gas will be much lower than the current one as the price calculation formula for the cold period of the year is advantageous to Moldova, IPN reports.
Andrei Spînu said the head of the Russian gas giant Alexei Miller during a telephone discussion with him in August said that the audit to determine the debts of Moldovagaz must be completed by the end of September. Under the contract signed with the two audit companies, the audit will be finished at the start of next year and this can make Gazprom halt the supplies of gas.
“We haven’t received a clear response from those from Gazprom as to the situation after October 1. We reiterated out position that we want this contract to remain valid and that gas should be supplied based on the formula stipulated in the contract. From October 1, the formula will be different and will be much more advantageous to our country. With Miller, I discussed the audit and told him that this will be completed next March. Only then we will be able to consider what to do with the historical debt. He said the audit must be finished by the end of September and I told him that this time limit cannot be met as the two selected companies only in September received the first set of documents from Moldovagaz,” Andrei Spînu stated in the program “Secrets of the Power” on JurnalTV channel.
The official said that if Gazprom stops the gas supplies, the centralized heating system in Chisinau will be switched over to crude oil and the €300 million borrowed from the EBRD will be used to purchase gas from the international market.
“There were chosen seven companies from which the EBRD accepted to purchase gas. Gazprom is not among the seven companies. The money from the EBRD cannot be used to pay subsidies. We informed those from Romania that we want to sign a long-term contract with provisions that would be rewired each year. We proposed passing the coming winter and then signing a long-term contract. The ball is in Romania’s court now. When a response is provided, we will consider it,” stated Andrei Spînu.
The head of Moldovagaz Vadim Ceban on Monday said that the payment for August, of US$9.67 million, was made to Gazprom, but without the advance for September. Under the contract signed with Gazprom, Moldova must pay for the gas consumed the previous month by the date of 20 of the next month and an advance of 50% for the current month.
