The Party of Socialists (PSRM) is concerned about the rise in the natural gas rate up to 10.26 lei as from Noember 1, noting that the rate together with VAT is 11.08 lei. According to the Socialists, the largest rise in the natural gas rates in the country’s history will generate new price rises. The Socialists demand to urgently approve compensations for all the natural gas users, IPN reports.
“This decision that is taken at the start of the cold period of the year and has a retroactive effect will have a severe impact on the citizens, primarily those with small and average incomes. The over two times rise in the gas rate is also a serious blow to business entities, primarily those that use natural gas in the production process,” PSRM says in a press release.
According to the party, heat producers already announced that following the rise in the gas rate, they will ask to increase the rate of heat supplied in a centralized way. Therefore, the Government and Parliament must urgently take measures to support all the natural gas consumers, both private individuals and legal entities.
“We repeatedly note that in the absence of a solid state support program, many citizens will be unable to pay for gas bills, while some of the business entities will go bankrupt. The MPs of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists already prepared a bill to offer support to the population in case of higher natural gas rates. We hope this project will be examined and adopted as swiftly as possible so that state assistance is offered through the next natural gas bills already,” runs the press release.
The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) on November 9 approved the natural gas rate for end users at 10.260 lei per cubic meter of gas, up from 4.298 lei per cubic meter. The new rate will be applied retroactively, starting from November 1. Taking into account the VAT of 8%, the rate for residential users will be 11.08 lei per cubic meter of gas.
