Moldova will seek cheap gas from "more complicated" states, avoiding Putin, says Vasile Tofan
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan states that the authorities cannot control gas prices; however, for the coming winter, they will seek alternative sources—including from states he described as "more complicated"—while excluding Russia. At the same time, the Government aims to increase consumer compensation by mobilizing budgetary resources and external support.
During Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, Vasile Tofan reiterated that procurement prices had far exceeded projections, leading to tariff hikes for the public.
"This year, we projected the cost of gas at 30 euros/MWh—or 360 dollars per thousand cubic meters, based on our calculation method. Today, the price has surpassed 84 euros/MWh—though it has dropped slightly in recent days—which translates to over 1,000 dollars per thousand cubic meters. These are factors beyond our control; everyone needs to understand that," the head of government stated.
According to the Prime Minister, the authorities plan to seek alternative sources. They intend to negotiate with countries such as Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to secure long-term contracts at more stable prices.
"Wherever that gas is available, we will go to find it and bring it to Moldova. We must do this. Whether in Qatar, Azerbaijan, or Turkmenistan—in all these complex regions—we will go everywhere to seek out this gas, no matter how difficult the process may be. Negotiations will be highly complex if we are to secure prices below market rates. We shouldn't imagine that anyone is simply waiting to hand us gas at below-market prices. The only place we won't go is to the Russians. We won't go to Putin," the Prime Minister asserted. At the same time, the authorities state they will try to maximize compensation for consumers during the cold season.
"With the limited resources we have, we aim to maximize compensation for the winter period. That is something we can do. In doing so, we must look at budgetary resources as well as our external partners, with whom we are in daily dialogue. We negotiate every day; in fact, today we are holding a meeting with Mrs. Plugaru, Minister of Labour and Social Protection, to try to secure and maximise this compensation," specified Vasile Tofan.
Starting October 1, the public will pay 26.14 lei per cubic meter, VAT included. Rates were raised by nearly 6 lei due to rising procurement costs. During the meeting where the rate hike was decided, Alexei Taran, Director of the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE), cited the need to halt the accumulation of financial imbalances. He emphasized that during the cold season, when consumption peaks, the supplier must have the necessary financial resources to ensure uninterrupted gas procurement and supply.
This year's budget allocates 550 million lei for consumer compensation. However, the authorities have committed to maintaining the program at least at last year's level, when approximately 620,000 families received assistance with their bills through monthly allowances ranging from 500 to 1,000 lei. According to estimates by Prime Minister Vasile Tofan—presented during the parliamentary session where the state of emergency in the energy sector was declared—the funds required to provide compensation throughout the cold season amount to 2.3–2.4 billion lei.
