Moldovan independent MP demands return to procedure of capping fuels' prices by national energy regulator

Chisinau, 3 February /MOLDPRES/ - An independent MP, Alexandr Oleinic, today informed that he had submitted, as legislative initiative, a draft law on the amendment of the legislation on oil products. In the draft, he suggests that the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) manages the process of establishing the selling price of oil products and liquefied gas.    

The lawmaker said that the increases in prices recorded in last January proved that the amendments enforced by the parliament in July 2018, under which the setting of prices rests with the importers and traders of oil products, were unjustified. “The amendment of the legislation, made two years ago, was a political decision, promoted by certain forces, which eventually led to the de-functionalization of the oil market, including through the exaggerated price for oil products,” Oleinic said.     

According to the MP, the amendments promoted to the draft legislative act are aimed at limiting the abuses in the field through the creation, in the long run, of an economic environment based on the market economy’s principles.  

”The urgent need of these amendments is grounded on the imperfect competition environment emerged on this market, as well as the repercussions this phenomenon has on all consumers of oil products,” Oleinic added.   

Also today, PM Ion Chicu said that a draft law would be soon finished, which sees the procedure of ANRE capping the prices for fuels. Chicu also said that, at present too, the law regulated the profitableness of oil companies; yet, there are not leverages for checking the prices.

Starting from March 2019, according to the latest amendments to the legislation, ANRE was excluded from the process of regulation of fuels’ prices.