Expert: Gas deliveries to the Transnistrian region impossible without Chisinau's support
Tiraspol relies on the “goodwill” of Chișinău to sustain its economy in the current context of natural gas supply, said Eugenia Gusilov, director and founder of the Romanian Energy Center, during the “Zi de zi” program on Radio Moldova. She noted that the gas intended for delivery to the Transnistrian region by the Russian Federation, through a company called Ozbor Enterprises that is controlled by a former Gazprom executive, would only meet the region's basic needs.
Tiraspol must recognize that its future heavily relies on the goodwill of Chisinau given the current situation. Their economic survival hinges not only on Russia but also on maintaining a stable supply of natural gas, which must transit through the Republic of Moldova. Eugenia Gusilov said that Ukraine has stopped allowing Russian gas to transit through its territory, including in reverse flow, making Moldova the sole pathway for gas deliveries to Transnistrian region. This means that the Tiraspol authorities must engage in dialogue with Chisinau to find a mutually acceptable way to coexist rather than act out of spite.
According to Russian reports, if gas were delivered through Ozbor Enterprises, a company owned by a former Gazprom executive, Tiraspol would need to pay roughly $55 million per month at current prices. Gusilov noted that this amount would cover only the basic needs of the population and would not be sufficient to revive the industry or enable electricity exports to Moldova.
Chisinau has proposed legitimate solutions for supplying the Transnistrian region, but these offers have been rejected by Tiraspol. Gusilov stated, “Moldova offered help that was refused. Therefore, the primary responsibility for any ensuing humanitarian crisis falls on the Tiraspol authorities.”
Additionally, Gusilov criticized Russia’s plan to use intermediary companies for gas delivery, describing it as a strategy to undermine the solutions proposed by Chisinau. “The intent is to avoid resolving the situation based on Chisinau’s proposals. Transnistrian region and Russia, particularly Gazprom, seem to favor alternative options that enrich some of their close associates,” she concluded.
It should be noted that the Chisinau government has not received information about any new gas supply solutions for the Transnistrian region, as stated by government spokesman Daniel Vodă. This announcement followed Russian media reports suggesting that gas deliveries could resume in February via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. Furthermore, Chisinau officials have formally requested clarification from the Russian Embassy regarding the companies involved in the potential resumption of natural gas deliveries, but have yet to receive a response.
On January 20, the Chisinau Ministry of Energy announced that Gazprom did not reserve any capacity for transporting natural gas through the Trans-Balkan pipeline to Transnistrian region for February. Reservations for transport capacity are auctioned every third Monday of the month, with the option to reserve volumes daily afterwards, albeit at a higher cost.
We remind you that Gazprom halted natural gas supplies to Transnistria starting January 1, causing widespread disconnections of gas, hot water, and thermal energy across many areas, including the Security Zone, leading to a broad loss of electricity.
After several weeks of rejecting Chisinau's offers for assistance, the Tiraspol authorities have now indicated a willingness to purchase natural gas through the Moldovagaz company. Vadim Krasnoselski, the so-called leader of Transnistrian region, acknowledged that this is the only reliable solution for supplying heat, light, and gas to homes and social infrastructure.
