More than 664,000 families have applied for energy compensation. Authorities have yet to provide details on how the calculations will be made or the size of the financial compensations. This comes as Moldovagaz has requested a roughly 40% increase in natural gas tariffs from the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE), IPN reports.

“We need to accurately understand the situation of each household. We will review ANRE's decision regarding tariffs, calculate accordingly, and, within the Government, make a decision that will be communicated to all citizens regarding how we plan to protect and assist people this winter”, said Alexei Buzu, Minister of Labor and Social Protection, in a press statement.

He emphasized that the current situation requires careful verification of every figure. “We need to see the tariff increase, and based on that, determine the budget for compensations. We already have this year’s database and will assess how many applicants heat their homes with gas, analyze household income levels, and simulate the impact of tariff increases. Once that is done, we will determine the costs and share the information with the public. My request is, once again, to remain patient and trust that we are technically prepared. We all endured a very challenging winter in 2022-2023, and I am confident we will get through this one as well”, added Minister Alexei Buzu.

During today’s Government meeting, Prime Minister Dorin Recean acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting the risks of a potential disruption in natural gas supplies to the left bank of the Dniester River and the tariff increase requested by Moldovagaz. He also urged both government institutions and the public to adopt energy-saving measures. “We need an aggressive - positively aggressive - program to save energy in all our institutions and encourage the population to do the same”, stated the Prime Minister.