Moldovan cabinet backs draft law due to lead to cut in gas transportation rate

Chisinau, 16 September /MOLDPRES/ - The cabinet has approved a legislative initiative on amending the law on gas. The document sees cancellation of an amendment to the concerned law, which entered into force in August 2014, that led to a significant increase in gas transportation rates.

Under the draft, the words "and international gas transportation services in transit regime" are cancelled in the article 4 of the law on gas at the notion "natural gas transportation."

The inclusion of the international gas transportation services in transit regime in the transport cost led to a 16-fold increase in the transport regulated rate. 

The approved amendment is aimed at adjusting the law on gas to the European norms. The government proposes that the legislative initiative should be considered simultaneously with the new draft law on gas, that will transpose the EU Third Energy Package.

By cancellation of the 2014 amendment, Moldova will return to normal as concerns the EU Directives, and the gas rates will be revised, even if they rise, the increase will be much more modest against the one approved in July, the experts said.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)