The European Commission has called on the authorities of the separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova to stop blocking the supply of alternative sources of gas after the cessation of supplies by Russia's Gazprom.
Points of attention
- The EU calls on Transnistria to stop blocking alternative gas sources after supplies from Russia's Gazprom were cut off.
- Moldova offers humanitarian and energy assistance to Transnistria, which the latter refuses to accept.
- The Prime Minister of Moldova believes that Russia is provoking an energy and security crisis in the region by cutting off gas supplies.
- Russia refuses to export gas to Transnistria in an attempt to create tension in the country ahead of parliamentary elections.
- Moldova was offered alternative sources of gas, but Transnistria and Tiraspoltransgaz were denied cooperation, which exacerbated the gas crisis in the region.
The EU urges Transnistria not to refuse assistance from Moldova
According to the European Commission, the Moldovan government offered Transnistria humanitarian and energy assistance, but the local authorities refused to accept it.
"We call on Tiraspol to cooperate with Chisinau to resolve the situation in the interests of local residents," said Anita Hipper, spokesperson for the European Commission for Foreign Affairs .
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recea accused Russia of provoking an energy and security crisis in the region, noting that Moscow had cut off gas supplies to territories under separatist control, in particular due to the deployment of illegal military units there.
Russia refused to export natural gas to Transnistria via alternative routes, trying to create additional tension on the eve of parliamentary elections in Moldova, Recan noted.
Due to the gas crisis in Transnistria, the duration of power outages has significantly increased — there will be no power for four hours.
Dorin Recan also expressed the opinion that the current energy crisis could be the beginning of the end of the self-proclaimed independence of Transnistria.
Chisinau told how it offered help to Transnistria
According to the State Secretary, last month the Ministry of Energy contacted Tiraspoltransgaz and offered an alternative in the event of a cessation of Russian gas supplies.
Konstantin Borosan noted that it was possible to purchase it on the Romanian stock exchange.
Moreover, he added that on January 2, Moldovagaz and Energocom proposed a mechanism for purchasing gas on regional markets.
It is also indicated that Moldovan GRES, which is the main electricity generation enterprise in Transnistria, was offered to process gas purchased by Energocom into electricity.
To date, we have not received any response to these proposals. And "Tiraspoltransgaz" refused cooperation on the same day, January 2..
Konstantin Borosan
State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Moldova
