EU willing to help Moldova enhance energy security

The European Union is willing to contribute to investment projects aimed at interconnecting the EU and the Moldovan power grids, via Romania, which could enhance Moldova's energy security, stated EU's Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger at a joint press with Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat in Chisinau. The Commissioner stressed that after acceding to the Energy Community Treaty in 2010 and holding the rotating chairmanship of the Energy Community this year, Moldova has advanced greatly in harmonizing the relevant legislation with EU standards. Günther Oettinger stated that possibilities would be looked for to co-fund the feasibility study on Moldova's and Ukraine's accession to the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, or ENTSO-E. A number of European and international financial institutions have already expressed their interest in financing the accession project. Further, Oettinger welcomed Moldova's efforts to increase the use of renewable resources and the domestic production of energy in order to reduce our country's dependency on imports. This, according to the Commissioner, could alleviate the tariff burden on the end-users. The EU official also saluted the creation in Moldova of an Energy Efficiency Agency and the implementation of energy efficiency projects into practice. Vlad Filat, for his part, said he was pleased that the dialogue between Moldova and the European Union was expanding beyond politics to sectorial matters. He recalled that the energy chapter in Moldova's negotiation efforts on the Association Agreement with the EU has already been closed and that Moldova would make every effort to honor its commitments to align its legislation with the EU energy laws and rules.