The energy crisis in the Transnistrian region is not a historic opportunity for the reintegration of the Republic of Moldova, the member of the Board of Energocom SA, Alexandr Slusari, a former member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, stated in a public debate staged by IPN News Agency. According to him, the positions of the Russian Federation and the current geopolitical context are factors that hinder a rapid reintegration process.
Alexandr Slusari noted that the lack of a coherent plan on the part of the Moldovan authorities on the management of the energy crisis and Moscow’s significant influence on the Transnistrian region make the country’s reintegration remain a distant goal.
“I don’t think that what is happening now is a historic chance of reintegration. I do not believe in the reintegration of the Republic of Moldova, as long as the positions of the Russian Federation are relatively strong and the geopolitical and regional context is not beneficial for the reintegration of the country. The scenario we are facing now was triggered by the Kremlin. That is, when you talk about the historic chance of reintegration, the scenario must be launched by Chisinau. Chisinau, traditionally, has a reactive role and acts a bit chaotically, more with statements than with actions,” said Alexandr Slusari.
He drew attention to possible developments related to natural gas supplies in the Transnistrian region. According to him, Gazprom would soon come up with the proposal to supply gas for domestic consumption only to the separatist region through Turkey. Slusari expressed his fear that the current government could accept this agreement, which, in his view, would perpetuate a disadvantageous situation for Chisinau.
“In a week, ten days, Gazprom will come up with a proposal to supply gas. There are rumors that in Turkey they agreed to deliver natural gas for the Transnistrian region, only for domestic consumption, without supplying electricity to the right bank. The continuation of this transaction is not in the interests of the Republic of Moldova at all. In the formula that Gazprom will propose, the right bank will not have any benefit. I think that the current government will allow the gas to go further to the Transnistrian region. I hope that at least the industry on the left bank will not work and everything will be limited to the humanitarian aspect,” stated Alexandr Slusari.
He warned that if the Transnistrian industry continues to benefit from cheap energy resources, an unfair competition will be perpetuated in relation to the economic agents operating on the right bank of the Nistru.
“I hope we will at least not allow unfair competition and the whole industry, whose privatization we have never recognized, will not work. I am afraid that the foreign partners will try to convince the authorities in Chisinau to give in, in order to maintain peace in the region, so as not to provoke the Russian Federation in these difficult conditions from a geopolitical point of view, especially after the changes in the U.S. I am skeptical about the fact that our authorities will have the verticality and firmness to oppose it,” Alexandr Slusari pointed out.
The public debate entitled “Fish tail” of the crisis in the eastern region of Moldova” was staged as part of the series of debates “Developing political culture through public debates”. IPN Agency implements the project with support from the German “Hanns Seidel” Foundation.
