Moldovan PM sees premises for cutting gas tariffs by about 20 per cent

Chisinau, 31 January /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip, in the beginning of a today’s cabinet meeting, said that he had had a joint meeting with representatives of the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry and joint stock company Moldovagaz, in order to consider calculations and an analysis carried out by the competent ministry, which is shareholder and state’s representative at the Moldovagaz company. The cabinet demanded this analysis in late 2017, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

“The data unveiled shows that there are premises for cutting the gas tariffs by up to 20 per cent. It is obvious that those from Moldovagaz have another opinion; yet, the decision will be eventually taken by the national regulator – National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE), just as it must be,” the PM said.    

Pavel Filip noted that the government’s evaluation was based on both the positive and negative deviations, including on the evolution of the gas price on the international stage. As a result, Moldovagaz informed the cabinet that it had already started discussions with ANRE and a final decision on gas price for this year would be taken soon.     

In the context, the prime minister said that he had demanded that Moldovagaz decision-takers work out an eventual system of compensation for the first months of 2018, if the price is going to be reduced, so that people feel this move just beginning with the first days of this year.