The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will announce new measures to support the population in the context of the National Agency for Energy Regulation’s decision to increase the gas charge, assured Prime Minister Dorin Recean. He said that the state will allocate additional funds for compensatory payments so that the burden of higher charges becomes bearable for consumers, IPN reports.
Premier Recean noted that the meeting of Energy Minister Victor Parlicov with Gazprom chief Alexei Miller was agreed in Chisinau. The Government of the Republic of Moldova has the obligation to identify solutions for the citizens living on both banks of the Nistru. If gas from Gazprom is not delivered to the left bank of the Nistru, a humanitarian catastrophe could be triggered, which will also have repercussions for the social situation on the right bank of the river
"We buy electricity for the right bank of the Nistru, for all of us, from Kuchurgan. The cheapest electricity we can buy is from Kuchurgan because there is gas delivered to the left bank of the Nistru by Gazprom. That is why it is our responsibility to ensure that we do everything possible for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to have the lowest electricity rates. And these rates can be offered by Kuchurgan. That is why it was important for Minister Parlicov to go and talk to Gazprom. The second very important element is that 350,000 people live on the left bank of the Nistru and over 280,000 are citizens of the Republic of Moldova. Imagine that 350,000 people there have no light and no heat. That would be a humanitarian catastrophe. Anyone who thinks that this will not affect the people on the right bank is irresponsible. We must defend the interests of the citizens, both those on the right bank and those on the left bank," Dorin Recean stated in the program "Good Evening" on the public television channel Moldova 1.
Moscow makes the delivery of gas to the left bank of the Nistru conditional on the payment of the alleged debt of US$700 million, which the official Chisinau does not recognize. "Gazprom tried to make these supplies conditional on the payment of a non-existent debt. We are not going to pay that debt. It is also a message to the citizens from the left bank of the Nistru that Chisinau takes care of them, and Moscow works against them," said the Moldovan official.
In the context of the NAER's decision to increase the gas charge, Dorin Recean said that the Government will not leave the citizens in the middle of winter facing the burden of bills, but will offer compensation to vulnerable categories. "We must not allow the citizens of the Republic of Moldova to pay higher bills this season. I know that there are discussions that we had to buy gas, but I want to remind you that during this year the prices have fluctuated, which is why even the most experienced ones could not make a reliable forecast regarding gas prices. During next week's parliamentary hearings, each institution will report what it did and what it did not do. What the Government must do now is to take care of the citizens and this is what we will do. I instructed Minister Buzu to make all the calculations regarding the additional compensation so that the citizens do not pay more in bills. The preliminary calculations are ready. After the NAER’s meeting, Minister Buzu will announce the additional support measures. We will allocate more money for compensatory payments. That's why we postponed the budget rectification so that we can support the population," explained the head of the executive.
Today, November 29, the NAER is to approve the charge of 15.5 lei (16.74 lei with VAT included) per cubic meter of gas. Currently, consumers pay 13.12 lei (VAT included) per cubic meter.
