The issue of Tiraspol’s debt owed to Gazprom cannot be settled without a political solution to the Transnistrian conflict, Moldovagaz president Vadim Ceban told reporters.

When asked a question about Tiraspol’s $7B gas debt, Ceban noted that “this is a quite complicated issue”.

“No one ever said that the (Moldovan) Government must assume responsibility for that debt. It’s a commercial debt owed by Moldovagaz. It’s for the first time (in recent years) that we have concentrated on the debt formed on the eastern side (of the Nistru)”, said Ceban during a press conference.

“As for the debt owed by Тираспольтрансгаз-Приднестровье and which is assigned to the Transnistrian region, this question will be discussed at the stage of organizing the meeting of the Moldova-Russia Joint Intergovernmental Commission, where the debt is to be settled as well”, said Vadim Ceban.

The report of the Commission is expected to detail the debt repayment scheme. In Ceban’s opinion, there are several solutions, including one where Тираспольтрансгаз formally takes over Moldovagaz’s debt.

“Seven billion dollars is a lot of money. Without a political solution, this problem cannot be settled”, declared Ceban.

Asked to say what he thought about pundit opinions that the Moldovan delegation could have negotiated a better gas deal by exploiting Moscow’s eagerness not to let Transnistria without gas supplies, Ceban declined to comment. “The issue wasn’t even mentioned. At least I can confirm that we only focused on price formulation, commercial aspects and debt repayment”, said Ceban.