Moldova's Commission for Emergency Situations adopts decisions to solve natural gas supply problem

Chisinau, 12 January /MOLDPRES/ - The situation on the natural gas market and the risks for Moldova’s consumers were discussed at a meeting of the Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE), summoned for 11 January evening, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

The participants in the meeting heard a report of the Moldovagaz stock company on the process of payment of the invoices for the gas bought from the provider, in the context of the increase in the acquisition price for January. They also heard a report by the Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry (MIDR) on the situation on the international markets of trading natural gas and the implications for Moldova. Based on the reports unveiled, the participants in the meeting found out difficulties in the accumulation of the funds needed for the full payment by Moldovagaz to the supplier. They are triggered by the negative financial deviations caused by the increase in the price for January and maintenance of the earlier approved tariffs.     

The Moldovagaz stock company informed CSE that, although the contractual conditions of payment had remained unchanged, the provider no longer accepts negative financial deviations, if the payments are not made in accordance with the contractual conditions.  

The participants in the meeting considered a string of solutions, in order to avoid the risk of ceasing in the delivery of natural gas to Moldova, including the eventuality of borrowing of a commercial loan by the Moldovagaz stock company. They also discussed the compensation of the invoices for the consumers, given that the tariff for them might be increased.    

In the end of the meeting, the CSE members approved the following decisions:   

1. The public institutions will undertake measures, in order to rationalize the consumption of gas and electric energy, based on the recommendations by the Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry;

2. The Moldovagaz stock company will start discussions in the Council of Observers on the possibility of extending the term of payment of the invoices till late January 2022;  

3. The Moldovagaz stock company will continue negotiations with commercial banks on the borrowing of a commercial loan and will officially inform the CSE members about the banks’ answer;  

4. The Finance Ministry will analyze the current legal options as to the postponing of the payment of the value added tax (VAT) by the Moldovagaz stock company for a short period, thus providing the company with liquidities needed for the current payments;    

5. The Labour and Social Protection, jointly with the Finance Ministry, will analyze the situation concerning the increase in the tariff for natural gas and the impact on the consumers, as well as the fund allocated for compensations and will submit proposals on the improvement of the compensations’ system;   

6. The Infrastructure and Regional Development Ministry will continue  monitoring the situations and will periodically inform the CSE members about the evolution of the situation;

The Commission for Emergency Situations will hold repeated meetings, in order to assess the situation on the natural gas market and, depending on the needs, it will adopt new decisions, so as to avoid major risks for consumers.   

Photo: Government