Commission for Emergency Situations rules gas transportation networks from Moldova to be operated by Vestmoldtransgaz company

Chisinau, 5 September /MOLDPRES/ - The gas transportation networks from Moldova will be operated by Vestmoldtransgaz, held by Transgaz Romania and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A decision to this effect has been approved at a meeting of the Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE), the government’s communication and protocol department reported.    

According to Energy Minister Victor Parlicov, a contract on lease of the natural gas transportation network was signed between Moldovatransgaz – daughter company of Moldovagaz and Vestmoldgaz. To enter into force, the contract is to be approved by the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE).    

The signing of this agreement was possible as a result of the amendment of the legislation, which would allow ANRE starting, ex officio, the procedure of separation of companies from the gas sector, as well as based on certain decisions by CSE from June and September, this year. Thus, decision-makers entered the last phase in the process of separation of the activity of providing from the activity of transportation of the natural gas, in order to avoid the monopoly and ensure the access of all interested sides to infrastructure. The separation of the companies which produce, carry, distribute and provide gas is part of the Third Energy Package, which is a commitment of Moldova before the Energy Community.     

„Just as in the case synchronization of the electric energy market with the continental one, the household consumers will not feel this change on the gas market at all. Yet, this separation, which Moldova has postponed since 2012, is a huge leap in the transposition of the European legislation and the liberalization, transparentizing of the gas market. Thus, the non-discriminatory access to networks will be ensured for all companies and in the long-term, we will enhance the reliability of the market for the European traders and providers and in the long run, the competition can generate also better prices,’’ Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said.   

Vestmoldtransgaz will take over on lease and will operate the natural gas transportation network for a five-year period. Also, it will take over, by inheritance, the present contracts on technical servicing, concluded by Moldovatransgaz limited company and thus, the continuity of the operational processes related to the natural gas transportation networks will be ensured.   

The Vestmoldtransgaz limited company was certified by ANRE as operator of the natural gas transportation network, which holds the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipelines. The shareholders of Vestmoldtransgaz are Transgaz from Romania with 75 per cent and EBRD with 25 per cent.      

The participants in the same meeting ruled to provide temporary protection to the parents and legal representatives, nationals of third countries, other than Ukraine, who accompany the minor child beneficiary of temporary protection, as well as the possibility of declaring the residence address on one’s own responsibility.     

Also, CSE approved the allocation of 1.8 million lei for the covering of the costs for the work of the centres of temporary placement for refugees, as well as the return to the state budget of 846,000 lei – money which remained unused in the process of covering the damages inflicted by the last summer bad weather. 

Photo: Government