The press point of the PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky on gas supplies to Pridnestrovie (transcript)
Viktor Berezhnoy, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Regarding gas supplies to Pridnestrovie. Let's clarify once again. What role does Russia play, how does it help Pridnestrovie at the moment?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
Of course, the Russian side was interested in how we would meet this problem, whether we were ready, what could be done to restore the supply of natural gas to Pridnestrovie from the first days when gas supplies from Moldovagaz to Pridnestrovie were stopped, from the first days of the new year and even before that. I visited Moscow In early January as everyone knows, where various forms of solving the problem were discussed at the level of the Russian Ministry of Energy. There were several options. The options were not imposed on us. Our options were accepted: these are licensed enterprises – Moldovagaz, etc. The Russian side is ready to work with everyone by and large, as long as natural gas is delivered to Pridnestrovie for people and their homes are warm. At the same time, the specific assistance of the Russian Federation consists in the fact that Russia allocates a certain credit to Pridnestrovie, a loan. We use this money to credit Tiraspoltransgaz, and they pay for the gas supplied by Moldovagaz. This is the technology. There are contractual relations today. Everything needs to be clothed in a legal shell. We also need a decision of the emergency commission on this deal from Moldova. If Moldova does not delay, this legal deal will come together and gas will be delivered to Pridnestrovie, which we will pay for. Working with Russian colleagues, I observed a sincere interest in Pridnestrovie receiving gas, people receiving gas. I assure you there was no politics, no claims against us, and so on. There was only one desire – to supply gas to Pridnestrovie. I want to thank the officials of the Russian Ministry of Energy, everyone who took part in this and still takes part, fulfilling a very important mission – gas supplies to Pridnestrovie.
Alexander Lagutin, RIA News Agency:
Vadim Nikolaevich, the Moldovan Emergency Situations Commission allocated 3 million cubic meters of gas. When will they arrive in Pridnestrovie and under what conditions?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
Let me start with the fact that there were 13 million cubic meters of gas left in our system. This is what we saved in December, having been forced to stop our large enterprises, which were left without gas and without work in fact. This was done in order to leave gas in the system – these 13 million cubic meters, to provide gas to multi-story buildings and social facilities. The gas is running out, that is why we asked Moldovagaz for another three million. This is not free of charge. We guarantee a return in gas or payment by March 1. The Emergency Situations Commission made this decision, for which we thank them.
Viktor Berezhnoy, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
Vadim Nikolaevich, how are the negotiations on European gas, for which we are ready to pay, progressing so that it gets to Pridnestrovie? At what stage, what will be the scheme? Can you share?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
It is better to exclude legal details, they are not interesting, you know. People should know that all parties to this deal are working transparently, working for money, we are talking about gas that is on European exchanges. Pridnestrovie will pay. I am sure that this can be done in 3-4 days if no one puts a spoke in the wheel, if the emergency commission meets on time, and the gas will go to Pridnestrovie.
Alexander Lagutin, RIA News Agency:
Vadim Nikolaevich, regarding Rechan's statement that the EU will allocate 30 million euros for the purchase of gas, this gas will be supplied to the Moldavian GRES, but we will have to supply electricity to Moldova free of charge – what is the situation there, what is the position of Pridnestrovie?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
The statements were made on Monday by officials representing the European Union that the EU is ready to provide assistance to Pridnestrovie and partially to Moldova to cover the deficit: gas in our case, in their case – electricity. There was no precision. We checked this information to see how true it was. A letter from Mr. Serebrian was received yesterday at the address of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ignatiev, in which he clearly stated that the Moldovan government is ready to transfer a grant to Pridnestrovie in the amount of 30 million euros for the purchase of gas, which is provided by the European Union. He proposed discussing this possibility in this letter: we either agree or we disagree.
I will tell you honestly: when in such difficult circumstances someone offers help, it is simply absurd and stupid to refuse. Therefore, we, of course, welcome the help of the European Union, which Mr. Ignatiev has already informed Mr. Serebryan in writing at the Bureau for Reintegration and proposed to hold a joint meeting of specialists in the shortest possible time to clarify the situation and the procedure for allocating this help. Because, judging by the statements of various officials, somehow everything does not add up to a single understanding. Everything is vague. Everyone reports in their own way. But we welcome and thank the European Union for this assistance.
Viktor Berezhnoy, First Pridnestrovian TV Channel:
There was information in the media, apparently, it was precisely this letter that was being discussed: it was called "the last offer from Chisinau to Tiraspol." Can you comment on this somehow? Or was there nothing like that?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
No, there was nothing like that there. It's all speculation. Do you know what excludes speculation? Speculation excludes publicity. That's why we suggested holding a meeting and clarifying all the details of this letter and these proposals publicly with those colleagues who will represent the European Union and Moldova. So that there is understanding for us, the leaders, and for the people. No shadow systems are allowed in this situation.
Alexander Lagutin, RIA News Agency:
Vadim Nikolaevich, I would like to clarify something. You said that there is cautious optimism, that there will be gas by the end of the week. Is this cautious optimism still there? Will there be gas?
The PMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky:
I have already spoken about this by and large: I always perceive everything with cautious optimism. If the officials from Moldovagaz had worked with proposals from the very beginning, the gas would have been there last week, I assure you. Everything is going very hard unfortunately. It seems like you are walking through some kind of sticky swamp. We and our Russian colleagues who are helping us with this are doing everything possible to ensure that all these contractual relations come together, that payments are made, and that the gas starts flowing, but there are technical deadlines, there is no way around it.
