The amendments made to the law on the oil products market are in favor of three-four companies that hold the monopoly on the market and were adopted in collusion with representatives of these monopolists. Moreover, the law was passed to encourage the big ‘sharks’ operating on the oil market destroy small oil companies. The opinions were stated in a TV program in the context of the chain rises in fuel prices witnessed in the recent period, IPN reports.
According to economic expert Veaceslav Ioniță, the amendments made by the PAS parliamentary majority to the law on the oil products market does not encourage healthy competition. Moreover, the daily changes in prices posted on boards at filling stations is illogical as the large oil companies import oil products much more seldom.
“What NAER does represents protection for the monopolists. We have several monopolists that were authorized to import and we have a multitude of small companies that have to buy from monopolists. In this country of monopolists, they are allowed to do what they want as their hands were untied, while the small oil companies are regulated. Moldova was attracted into this casino when we have to daily wait for the tariffs. What is the connection between the current Platts quotation and the current tariff if oil sellers imported the oil products ten days ago?” Veaceslav Ioniță stated in the talk show “Friday with Anatolie Golea” on RTR Moldova channel.
Former Communist MP Alexandr Petkov is sure that the new amendments to the law were agreed with the big oil sellers and were adopted to suit them.
“For these changes, the MPs took money and not only I say this. These good and new people, together with those from NAER, took money from three-four big companies in favor of whom this bill was adopted. Recently, one of the authors said that this law needs to be yet amended. For how many times can a law be amended?” asked Alexandr Petkov.
“It is not clear for me what NAER does in the Republic of Moldova as almost all the energy resources on the market are imported. 168 persons work for NAER and these people are very well paid. The organogram of the institution coincides with that of a minister, but they don’t deal with anything concrete. The five NAER directors annually get over 1 million lei each in pays. NAER is an institution that needs to be optimized at least ten times,” said businessman Andrei Baștovoi.
Under the new amendments made to the law on oil products market, NAER daily sets the price ceilings for gasoline “95” and diesel fuel, depending on the quotations on the international market. This way, the wholesale fuel market and the retail prices of liquefied petroleum gas and all the other types of oil products were liberalized.
