The executive has 30 days to negotiate a contract favorable to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova with the Russian Federation. At the same time, solutions should be identified to compensate the citizens with modest incomes, representatives of the power said after Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu announced the extension of the contract with Gazprom for a month. For its part, the opposition shifts all the responsibility for a higher tariff for end-users onto the PAS government, IPN reports.
Representatives of PAS said the Republic of Moldova got a 30-day respite and the Government in the period will became involved in the negotiations with Gazprom. Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu will leave for St. Petersburg to discuss the terms of the new contract for the supply of gas.
“The Government’s role during the next few weeks will be to negotiate a new contract. In general, the negotiations should be held by MoldovaGaz. We should yet avoid political interference in the negotiation of economic contracts. The problem in relation with MoldovaGaz is how the majority package was obtained and governmental investigations will be conducted here too as now Gazprom negotiates with itself,” PAS MP Lilian Carp stated in the talk show “Ghețu Asks” on TV8 channel.
The opposition gives the example of a number of European states that negotiated advantageous contracts with the Russian Federation and demands that the PAS government should assume an eventual failure of the negotiations with Moscow.
“Some of the European countries, such as Hungary and Slovenia, pay three times less than the Republic of Moldova and have long-term contracts, of up to 15 years. This means that their pro-European or pro-Russian governments hold efficient negotiations. If the parliamentary majority does not take our proposals and bills into account and ignore the opposition, this means that they bear full responsibility,” said Șor Party MP Marina Tauber.
Political commentators say that even if the price of gas should be a strictly economic issue, the geopolitical aspects prevail, Gazprom being used by Moscow as a political cudgel.
“Inevitably, the tariff for the ordinary citizens will be raised. The government will have to think about compensatory measures for the most vulnerable citizens. The gas supplied by the Russian Federation is not a purely economic issue, but is also a geopolitical one and the Government cannot avoid the negotiations. The new ministers do not have institutional experience of holding negotiations with the Russia Federation. We do not have even an ambassador in Moscow,” stated political commentator Anatol Țăranu.
“The Russian Federation will impose harsh conditions on the Republic of Moldova and these conditions are related also to Ukraine. For example, if a preferential price is wanted, they will suggest that the gas should go via Turkey, not via Ukraine. The discussions should be strictly economic, but they are not. That’s why the Government should become involved and try to keep the tariff for end-users under control,” said political commentator Ion Tăbârță.
Under the extended contract with Gazprom, the purchase price of gas for October will be US$790 per 1,000 cubic meters. According to Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu, the price will be recalculated as a reset of the agreements that will be reached with the Russian side towards the end of October.
