With an average official salary, the Moldovans can buy 459 m3 of natural gas or 3.7 times less than a year ago, said economic expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul”, who posted a table to this effect, IPN reports.

This way, in the third quarter of last year, a net average official salary could be used to buy 1,675 m3 of natural gas, but now, at a distance of a year, the quantity that can be bought is of 459 m3 of gas.

As from June 1, the gas rate is 18.6 lei per m3 of gas with VAT included, up 22.6%. “This rise further contributes to the diminution of the population’s power to purchase natural gas,” said the economic expert.

According to Veaceslav Ioniță, the rise in prices is unprecedented in Moldova’s history. “Serious shocks were witnessed in 1998-99, when the gas rates during seven months grew 2.5 times. The next shock was in 2006, when the rates during five months rose two times.”

The expert noted that three rises in gas rates occurred during the past seven months and the rates grew four times. In the period, the average official salary increased by about 5%.