The Republic of Moldova‘s (RM) Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said that the government is unable to agree on a new energy deal with Russia‘s Gazprom and will ask the parliament on Friday to approve a state of emergency to try to ease gas shortages, according to Reuters.
The state of emergency could last until November 20 and allow the government to buy gas under a simplified scheme with additional funds, the draft resolution said, as world energy prices soar.
The Republic of Moldova’s contract with Gazprom expired at the end of September. The government asked for an extension but balked at the price of $790 per 1,000 cubic metres.
„We are in a critical situation. The pressure in the gas transportation system is at a critical level for the functioning of natural gas transportation systems,” said Gavrilita.
She said that the country’s Gas, 51% owned by Gazprom, had not supplied the required volume of gas and the country has been forced to buy from other sources.
The Republic of Moldova wants to negotiate with neighbouring Romania and Ukraine while hoping to sign a new contract with Gazprom by the end of the month.
Ukrainian state gas transmission operator GTSOU has said that the Republic of Moldova is receiving gas from Ukraine, but GTSOU head Sergiy Makogon told Reuters the supplied volumes „are only enough for 67% of Moldova’s needs”.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told his RM counterpart in Kyiv that Ukraine would continue pumping gas to the Republic of Moldova.
The Republic of Moldova, sandwiched between Ukraine and EU member Romania, consumes 2.8 billion cubic metres of gas per year.