Parliament will soon consider a bill that will enable the Court of Accounts to audit Moldovagaz, announced Speaker Igor Grosu during a Radio Moldova broadcast.

Igor Grosu criticized the national gas supplier for how it failed ensure adequate pressure levels in the gas system in October, forcing the Government to scramble for alternative solutions. The bill enabling the audit, to be introduced by PAS lawmaker Radu Marian, could be adopted already by the end of this year.

“At the beginning of next week we will come up with a legislative initiative enabling the Court of Accounts to check how this company handles its finances, as is the practice in relation to ministries and other agencies. This company, which had a duty to supply adequate amounts of gas, was not able to do so. Their relationship with those who they are bound by a commercial contract with is their problem. The government has done everything possible, through (the state company) Energocom, with the help of our friends in the West, to buy from alternative sources. Admittedly, at higher prices, but we had to ensure the functionality of institutions”, said Grosu.

On gas subsidies, the speaker recalled that Parliament adopted a scheme offering a 67% discount on the first 50 cubic meters of gas consumed by households and 50% on the next 100 m3.

“This is all we can offer at this point, because we aren’t talking only about household bills. Some 2 billion lei also went to raise salaries. We also had to find money for town halls, for investment and also to put some funds aside just in case. The money allocated to Energocom is an example, we’re talking about more than a billion lei that can be used in the future, also for people’s needs. Some of the state budget, over 30% will go to fund the social sector, pensions, salary raises, cold season handouts that have been increased from 500 to 700 lei”, added Grosu.

On Thursday, Parliament also adopted a heating compensation scheme that will mostly benefit households in Chisinau and Balti, which rely on district heating to a significant extent.