Natural gas tariffs might be decreased by up to 20 per cent in Moldova

Chisinau, 31 January /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip, in the beginning of a today’s cabinet meeting, informed that analyses carried out by the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry showed that that natural gas tariffs might be decreased by up to 20 per cent.  

“The tariffs are formed in the beginning of the year, when more factors are taken into account, including the gas price, currency exchange, etc. Starting from last December, we have had more meetings at the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry, which represents the state at the Moldovagaz company, which we asked to present an analysis of the situation. The analysis has been recently unveiled at a joint meeting with Moldovagaz,” the PM said.   

The analysis shows that, taking into account the negative and positive deviations accumulated throughout 2017, there are premises for cutting the gas tariff by up to 20 per cent. One factor is the difference of currency exchange, but it is not the only one,” Pavel Filip said. He noted that Moldovagaz had another opinion; yet, the decision will be taken by the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).  

“I have also demanded that those from Moldovagaz think about a system of compensation for the first months of the year, in case the price is going to be cut, so that people benefit from this reduction just the very first days of 2018. I deem it as normal that the citizens pay the new reduced price beginning with 1 January 2018, even if the legal procedures still last; these procedures are to be observed, undoubtedly, yet, in this case, the compensation way should to be found. Either people receive back the money for what they paid in January-February, for instance, or they receive less expensive bills in the next months. Moldovagaz is already to come up with a solution,” the prime minister added.   

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)