Moldovan prime minister to discuss gas supplies with Azerbaijani leadership

CHISINAU, 22 Sep – PRIME. Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilitsa intends to discuss gas supplies to the republic with the leadership of Azerbaijan in early October, the press service of the government told reporters in Chisinau.

Earlier, the Moldovan authorities expressed their intention to diversify the sources of gas supplies in order to reduce dependence on the Russian market. In an interview with the Moldovan media, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu noted that the issue of the cost of Azerbaijani gas has not yet been agreed. In early July, the authorities of the republic signed an agreement on obtaining a loan from the EBRD for 300 million euros, the funds should be used to create strategic reserves of natural gas and diversify sources of supply. The Moldovan government stressed that the loan allocated by the EBRD was given on the condition that gas was purchased from any supplier, but not from Gazprom.

“The Prime Minister will visit Baku within the framework of the meeting of the Moldovan-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, which will be held in the capital of Azerbaijan on October 10-12 this year. Among the issues discussed is the possibility of importing natural gas from Azerbaijan,” reports on Thursday press service of the government of Moldova.

Moldova is experiencing an energy crisis due to rising energy prices. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Spinu said that the authorities intend to reduce gas consumption in winter by at least 15%. The authorities have developed and submitted for discussion a plan that includes turning off street lighting, lowering the central heating temperature, transferring schoolchildren and students to distance learning. On August 1, the Moldovagaz company began disconnecting consumers who did not pay for the services for the supply of natural gas on time.

In October, the Moldovan authorities agreed with Gazprom to extend the contract for the supply of gas to the republic, subject to an audit of the Moldovagaz debt in 2022. “Gazprom” said that, taking into account the situation in Moldova, it was decided to sign the contract practically on the terms of the Moldovan side, but subject to timely 100% payment of current payments. Gazprom has the opportunity to stop gas supplies to the republic at any time.