Tiraspol, November 25 / Novosti Pridnestrovya/ As the PMR Foreign Minister Vitaly Ignatiev noted in an interview with the Sputnik news agency, Moldovan authorities admitted that they took away gas volumes from Pridnestrovie.
“Initially, Chisinau denied everything, but their officials’ statements contradicted each other. They attempted to be justified. Finally, they admitted that they took away the gas, declaring that it was in storage facilities. On what grounds? Thereby, the Moldovan authorities violated the current contract with PJSC Gazprom again.” Vitaly Ignatiev noted.
In October, the Russian PJSC Gazprom limited gas supplies to the RM up to the so-called guaranteed contract volumes. This happened due to repeated violations by Moldova of its obligations under the contract. In Pridnestrovie, where gas is supplied through Moldova, an emergency state has been introduced in the economy.
On November 1, Moldova, violating the agreement terms with Gazprom again, unilaterally reduced gas supplies to Pridnestrovie from 3.9 to 2.3 million cubic meters.
At the same time, information appeared that JSC Moldovagaz could conceal a part of the Russian gas for subsequent resale to Ukraine.
On November 22, it was reported by PJSC Gazprom that it was recording the Russian gas settling in Ukraine, intended for delivery to Moldova and Pridnestrovie under a contract with the JSC Moldovagaz. The total volume of this settled blue fuel amounted to 52.5 million cubic meters.
The next day, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu acknowledged that the Republic of Moldova was forming gas reserves in Ukrainian storage facilities and noted that these reserves had already reached 200 million cubic meters. Obviously, those 52.5 million that Gazprom mentions are also there. Moreover, the Ukrainian NJSC Naftogaz confirmed that since September Moldova has been using virtual reverse for Russian supplies around points of intersection with Ukraine.
The gas and energy crisis is being deliberately exacerbated in the region by Moldova. It pumps into Ukrainian storage the same gas that was intended for the PMR, including for generating electricity at the Moldavian HES. At the same time, Chisinau acquires Romanian electricity, which is three times more expensive than Pridnestrovian.
