● MONDAY, October 17
A liter of diesel fuel to cost by 0.60 lei more
The week starts with new increases in fuel prices. The diesel fuel will be sold for 28.53 lei/liter, up 0.6 lei, while gasoline COR 95 will cost 25.21 lei/liter, up 0.1 lei. These are the price ceilings set by the National Agency for Energy Regulation for October 18.
● TUESDAY, October 18
Andrei Spînu: Termoelectrica and CET Nord will produce more electricity from November
Neither Chisinau nor Tiraspol received official notifications from Gazprom as to an eventual reduction in the supplied amounts of natural gas, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said after the Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky on Monday announced that the volume of gas delivered to the Transnistrian region will be cut by 40% in November. Andrei Spînu called on the citizens to economize and said that if necessary Energocom will purchase gas from the international market.
● WEDNESDAY, October 19
Oleg Serebrian: We saved over 1bn lei by purchasing cheaper electricity from Kuchurgan
As a result of agreements between Chisinau and Tiraspol over the purchase of electrical energy from the Kuchurgan power plant at a lower price in exchange for the environmental permit for the Rybnitsa Steel Works, the Republic of Moldova saved over 1 billion lei, said Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian. According to him, the goal of Chisinau is not to push the enterprise towards bankruptcy but to make it work based on Moldova’s legislation.
Igor Grosu: Those from left side of the Nistru should learn to pay
There are no preconditions for a humanitarian crisis on the left side of the Nistru River, said Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu. According to him, the Transnistrian region has crude oil and coal reserves for the situation in which Gazprom will fully stops the supplies of natural gas. The leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity said that if the Kuchurgan power plant reduces the electric power production capacities, Chisinau will purchase electricity from the European market.
● THURSDAY, October 20
Andrei Spînu: Moldovagaz will borrow over 1bn lei from Energocom
The state-run company Energocom will lend over 1 billion lei to Moldovagaz for ensuring energy security and the supply of natural gas to Moldova. The sum will be disbursed on October 20, after the relevant contracts are signed. A decision to this effect was taken by the Commission for Exceptional Situations, said Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development. According to the official, the measure will enable Moldovagaz to fully pay for the gas consumed in September and the advance for October. The loan totals 1.05 billion lei and is to be repaid by May 1, 2023, at an interest rate of 21.5% a year, which is the base rate of the National Bank of Moldova.
Natalia Gavrilița: If loan is not repaid by May 1, we will take over national gas networks
If the 1.05 billion lei loan that Energocom offers to Moldovagaz is not repaid by May 1, 2023, the state will take over the natural gas transmission networks, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița stated on Wednesday after the Commission for Exceptional Situations decided to lend money to Moldovagaz for this to be able to pay the advance for October to Gazprom.
Sergiu Tofilat: What happens in Transnistrian region will be Putin’s responsibility
The amounts of natural gas provided by Gazprom to the Republic of Moldova can be used only by the right side of the Nistru that fully pays for the consumed gas, said energy expert Sergiu Tofilat. According to him, Chisinau could press Moscow into supplying additional amounts of gas to us or the citizens in the Transnistrian region would get frozen in their homes. The responsibility for the situation of the people from the separatist region is borne by the Kremlin, which supports an unconstitutional regime.
Criteria for defining status of SMEs to be modified
The values used as criteria for defining the status of SMEs will be adjusted. Ina Voicu, secretary general of the Ministry of Economy, said in Parliament that microenterprise will be considered the firm that has an annual turnover under 18 million lei or assets totaling less than 18 million lei. Currently, this ceiling is of 9 million lei. The category of small enterprises will include enterprises with an annual turnover under 50 million, up from 25 million lei at present, while the category of medium-sized enterprises – firms with an annual turnover under 100 million lei, up from 50 million lei.
● FRIDAY, October 21
Authorized Economic Operators mutually recognized by EU and Moldova
The Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programs of the Republic of Moldova and the European Union will be mutually recognized in a move to facilitate and secure bilateral trade. The Mutual Recognition was launched on Friday and the relevant agreement will take effect on November 1. Attending the launch, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița said that this Mutual Recognition will help the Republic of Moldova to increase its capacities to export to the EU. This desideratum is even more important in the context of the difficult economic situation in the region. The facilitation of customs operations will contribute to reducing the pressure on the frontier posts at the border with Romania.
Energocom buys 10m cubic meters of gas that will be stored in Ukraine
Energocom purchased 10 million cubic meters of gas at the price of €997 per 1,000 m3. The amount will be stored in underground reservoirs in Ukraine and will be used in the Republic of Moldova if Gazprom stops supplying natural gas or cuts supplies. This is the first purchase made in the framework of the Security of Natural Gas Supply Project. The tender contest held by Energocom involved companies that prequalified in accordance with the rules of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the company noted in a press release.
Larger number of consumers will be able to set up photovoltaic panels
The National Agency for Energy Regulation increased the capacity limit for private individuals and legal entities that can produce energy from renewable sources in the net metering support scheme from 5% to 10%. Together with such a decision, a larger number of end users, including residential customers, will be able to set up photovoltaic panels and to supply the monthly surplus to the electricity grid, said Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development.
● SATURDAY, October 22
Farmers will be able to pay taxes by reclaiming VAT
A law enabling farmers to pay their taxes with funds accumulated in their VAT accounts will enter into effect by November 25, assures Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Bolea. He added that the initial draft law proposed such a facility only for the farmers affected by this summer’s drought, but recently it has been decided to extend the law for all farmers.
Russia uses ‘energy blackmail’ against states it considers disloyal, opinions
100 MW of electricity has been identified in a few moments, and the Moldovan authorities will continue to discuss with their partners. This is how government representatives comment on the energy crisis facing Moldova after the power utility Premier Energy announced an energy deficit and possible supply disruptions.
NBM announces bank resolution requirements for 2023
The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) has advised licensed banks on the amounts, installments, deadlines and form of payment of their contributions to the Bank Resolution Fund. The amounts are to be paid by the end of 2023. For the entire banking system, the total amount is 117.8 million lei. The factors used in calculating the 2023 contributions included the national target of 3% for guaranteed deposits to be achieved by the end of 20204, the adjustment coefficient for the increase in deposits, as well as the adjustment multipliers for the risk specific to each bank. At the same time, the target based on the amount of guaranteed deposits as of June 30 represents 507.8 million lei and is to be reevaluated annually.
Comrat beltway opens for traffic
A belt road skirting the city of Comrat has been opened for traffic. The construction is part of a broader project to rehabilitate road M3 to Giurgiulesti. The 18.3 kilometers long construction has three roundabouts, four grade-separated junctions, five road bridges, a railway overpass, and over 300 road signs.
