Rise in gas prices is inevitable, economy minister

The increase in the price of natural gas is inevitable as the import price was raised on January 1, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said in Thursday's meeting of the Government that centered on the latest rises in the prices of products and services, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the minister, the increase in the prices of oil and gas is determined by the situation on the world markets. At the same time, Valeriu Lazar said the methodology for setting the given prices formulated by the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) will probably have to be modified. In this connection, Prime Minister Vlad Filat ordered calling a working meeting involving representatives of the ANRE and energy companies in order to identify acceptable solutions allowing setting the real prices of oil products and energy resources. “The prices of oil products should change not only when they go up on the world markets, but also when they go down,” Vlad Filat said. As to the prices of food products and consumer goods, it was decided that they will be permanently monitored and analyzed by the national committees on categories of products that include experts of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. The rate of inflation in Moldova last year was 8.1%.