The Moldovan-Russian negotiations on the supply of natural gas didn’t produce any result and there is a risk that the supply of gas to Moldova will be fully halted after November 1, IPN reports, quoting the Russian news agency Tass that makes reference to sources close to the negotiation process.
The quoted source said the Russian side proposed “an objective market price” with an additional discount of 25%, but the Moldovan side insisted on a 50% reduction on the market price. “Therefore, the signing of a new long-term contract for the supply of gas until November 1 is in question. There are big risks that the Russian gas supplies to the Republic of Moldova will be fully stopped after this date,” said the quoted source.
Tass also reported that the Russian side was represented by officials of the executive and of Gazprom and the repayment, during the next three years, of the debt for gas totaling US$700 million that was accumulated by Moldova, except for the Transnistrian region, the previous years was the only condition for benefitting from a 25% reduction.
“But the Moldovan delegation consisting of deputy prime ministers Vladislav Kulminski and Andrei Spînu insisted on the halving of prices, invoking the shortage of funds,” noted the source.
SA Moldovagaz and Gazprom on September 30 signed a contract for the supply of gas valid until the end of October. During the current month, Moldova will pay the market price of US$790 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. Last year, Moldova imported gas at the price of US$148.87 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. In the negotiations with Gazprom, the Moldovan authorities asked to reduce the price to US$200-300 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. The figures weren’t confirmed officially.
