Transnistria sustains losses of $3m daily owing to gas shortage, Tiraspol officials

Transnistria suffers losses of $3 million every day due to the shortage of gas, say Tiraspol officials. Svetlana Slinchenko, the deputy minister of economy of Transnistria, told a news conference on Tuesday that the local authorities intend to take out a loan from the Russian Federation, but did not say what amount, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent has reported. The situation in the energy sector is critical, said Alexandru Rozenberg, the deputy minister of industry of the breakaway republic. He warned that the electric power lines are worn out and there are no supplies of solid fuel. Transnistrian minister of health and social protection Ivan Tkachenko said that 1,562 patients are now registered in hospitals in the region. 30% of them have been discharged and will continue the treatment at home. Only the surgery halls, maternity wards and intensive therapy rooms are heated in hospitals. Tkachenko urged the population to call the doctor on duty at home in emergencies because the conditions in hospitals are inappropriate. The gas crisis has led to a larger number of fires. Fourteen fires have been reported in Transnistria since January 9. Only three of them are not related to the shortage of gas. Last week, the Transnistrian militia discovered five cases of illegal cutting of trees and 25 cases of unauthorized connection to the power lines. The deputy minister of the interior of Transnistria Petru Zubreichiuc said that despite the crisis situation, the number of offences has decreased by 53 compared with the corresponding period last year.