As of January 1, Russia will cease natural gas exports to Moldova, according to a statement from the Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom. Earlier this month, Moldova declared a state of emergency due to looming gas shortages.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned the decision to cut off the gas supply, accusing the Kremlin of using gas as a “political weapon.” He also noted that the decision affects residents of the breakaway pro-Russian region of Transnistria, where Russian gas enters the country. Moldova receives Russian gas through pipelines in Ukraine, but Ukraine’s contract with Gazprom expires on December 31.
In November, Moldovan Energy Minister Viktor Parlikov traveled to St. Petersburg to persuade Gazprom to continue gas deliveries via an alternative route through Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania, but Gazprom refused. The Russian gas company claims Moldova owes approximately 750 million euros, while Moldova asserts the debt is no more than 8.5 million euros.
In mid-December, the Moldovan parliament approved the state of emergency due to the anticipated gas shortages, allowing the government to allocate the remaining gas and restrict exports. Russian natural gas currently accounts for about 80% of Moldova’s demand.
The government is considering legal options to prevent the gas cutoff. It remains unclear whether Gazprom’s suspension of gas deliveries is a precursor to a complete halt of Russian gas exports through Ukraine to Europe.
Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, like Moldova, are still reliant on Russian natural gas but could, in principle, receive gas via pipelines that bypass Ukraine.
Source: NOS