Natural gas imports could be higher next year

Moldova plans to buy 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas from Gazprom in 2010, in contrast to 1.1 billion cubic meters that are to be purchased this year, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the president of SA Moldovagaz Alexandru Gusev. Gusev reiterated that there will be no technical problems as regards the supply of Moldova with natural gas. The important thing is that the payments for the supplied gas be made on time and that no new debts be accumulated. In this connection, Gusev said that Moldova's debt for this year's supplies is US$65 million, while the overall debt to Gazprom, including the historical one, totals US$380million. This debt has not been rescheduled. Transnistria's debt amounts to over US$1.8 billion. Gusev said that the five-year agreement signed by Moldova and Gazprom in 2006 does not separate Transnistria's debt from the debts accumulated by the consumers from the right bank of the Nistru. “Every time we speak with Gazprom, they remind us of this debt and of the necessity to work with all the consumers. We work, but we cannot impose penalties and fines on the Transnistrian consumers or sue them as we have limited possibilities,” Gusev said.