Energy minister: ANRE fuel pricing mechanism shields consumers from sudden pump price hikes
The National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) sets daily maximum fuel prices to help moderate price increases and prevent sudden spikes at the pump. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu claims that abandoning this system would result in immediate price hikes. He explains that ANRE's methodology, which is based on the average of international oil quotations over the past 14 days, allows consumers to experience oil market fluctuations gradually.
The Minister of Energy stated that the Republic of Moldova relies heavily on imports of petroleum products, meaning that domestic fuel prices are directly affected by international oil prices and petroleum product prices.
"The 14-day capping mechanism helps shield the domestic market from sudden and substantial price increases. If prices were capped, it could lead to an immediate shortage," Junghietu explained during a program on TVR Moldova.
Recently, fuel prices in the Republic of Moldova have risen gradually over the past two weeks, with increases of approximately 7-8% for gasoline and around 16-17% for diesel. In contrast, in other European countries where the market is liberalized, price hikes have been much steeper, sometimes rising from about 1.8 euros to over 2.2 euros per liter in a very short time, according to the minister.
His comments come amid reports that some gas stations have either failed to display diesel prices or have announced temporary product shortages. Authorities are currently monitoring the situation and investigating whether market operators have fuel stocks but are withholding sales. If a gas station has fuel available but refuses to sell it to consumers, the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) can impose penalties.
The Minister also mentioned that fuel imports are ongoing, and data from the Customs Service indicates an increase in the volumes of gasoline and diesel entering the country recently, suggesting that the market is adequately supplied.
