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Minister of energy expected to go to St. Petersburg for talks with Gazprom at end-November


https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/minister-of-energy-expected-to-go-to-st-petersburg-for-7966_1108964.html

The minister of energy could meet with the management of Gazprom at the end of November. A discussion between shareholders is expected to take place at that time in order to present the members proposed by the Government to the Board of Directors of Moldovagaz, said the interim president of the company Vadim Ceban, quoted by IPN.

"I don't think anyone from Gazprom will come to Moldova. On the contrary, a trip by Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov to St. Petersburg (Russia) was planned," Vadim Ceban stated in a TV program on Monday evening. According to him, the discussion is expected to take place at the end of November, but Ceban did not specify whether or not a specific date was set. As interim president, Vadim Ceban recalled that in 2002, the shareholders held online talks, which is why a videoconference is not excluded, if the visit to St. Petersburg does not take place.

IPN asked the Ministry of Energy for confirmation, and communication consultant Vitalie Condratski told the Agency that the minister intends and is open to have talks with Gazprom, but the decision on the trip to St. Petersburg has not been yet taken, but remains in the plans of Minister Victor Parlicov, who is in Baku on Tuesday. Asked if, in the event of reshuffles, another minister could participate in the meeting with Gazprom’s administration, Vitalie Condratski confirmed that whoever is in office, the talks will take place and that only the format will have to be agreed.

The meeting will involve the candidates for posts at Moldovagaz - Dorin Junghietu, who is to take over the position of president, and Eduard Calancea, the future member of the Board of Directors - before they are confirmed by Gazprom.

On September 25, the new Board of Directors of Moldovagaz was to be chosen. Vadim Ceban remained interim president due to the lack of an agreement in the six-member Supervisory Board (two from the Republic of Moldova and four from Gazprom). The decisions must be approved by at least five votes and this makes the decision-making process more complicated.

Moldovagaz is 50% owned by Gazprom, 35.3% by the Public Property Agency of the Republic of Moldova and 13.14% by Tiraspoltransgaz.