Moldova wants to use European Union (EU) funds to continue lighting after power cuts and price hikes caused by the cessation of Russian gas deliveries to the breakaway region of Transnistria.
As temperatures plummet at the start of winter, the EU candidate country faces an energy crisis after Gazprom, the Russian gas company, cut off supplies to a major power plant January 1st. Although the plant is located in the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria, it provides around two-thirds of Moldova’s electricity.
Thousands of homes in the region are therefore deprived of water, lighting or heating, while others risk facing a sharp increase in energy prices.
“Our objective, with the help of the European Union, is to partially subsidize the energy bills of our population, but also to invest in energy production, in particular renewable energies, and in efficiency energy, both for residential buildings, but also for businesses »said the Prime Minister of Moldova, Dorin Recean, during a closed-door press conference.
Chișinău explained that it subsidizes the energy bills of Moldovan citizens on the right bank of the Dniester by 20-25% and that, according to the government’s current plans, this should last for the next three months, i.e. until in March.
Meanwhile, European officials are expected to meet their Moldovan counterparts this week to “take stock” on the situation regarding the gas supply cutoff, following a meeting held last month.
What are the options?
One of the main objectives will be to determine the assistance that Brussels could provide to Moldova. One of the options would be a macro-financial aid program of 1.8 billion euros, a « growth and investment plan » for the country, approved last October.
The plan provides financial aid and trade benefits in exchange for economic reforms and alignment with EU law, as part of the country’s accession negotiations.
Friday January 3, Prime Minister Dorin Recean described the stoppage of deliveries as “Kremlin gas blackmail”and denounced Russia’s attempt to destabilize the country.
While the second round of the presidential election in 2024 pitted a pro-Russian candidate against a pro-European candidate, and Moldovan authorities have reported Russian interference during the electoral process, the country must now organize its legislative elections in 2025.
For its part, if the separatist region of Transnistria found itself deprived of heating, gas, and hot water, and has to face repeated power outages, it has until now refused support energy or humanitarian of Chișinău.
“We offered our help, but it was refused because Russia’s intention is to artificially create a humanitarian crisis and create instability”Dorin Recean estimates.
The EU’s main foreign affairs spokesperson, Anitta Hipper, said in Brussels on Monday 6 January that the Union «would encourage Tiraspol [la capitale de la Transnistrie] to cooperate with Chișinău to address the situation, in the interest of the local population”.
The current energy crisis could ultimately lead to the end of Transnistria’s self-proclaimed independence according to the Moldovan Prime Minister, asked about Chișinău’s intention to intensify efforts to convince the pro-Russian authorities of the breakaway region to return to their position.
“We are trying to integrate [les Transnistriens] in the structure of social services, in our economic environment, in our market, so that they can export products to the EU and so on — just like the rest of Moldova”detailed the Moldovan Prime Minister.
“Our goal is to reintegrate the country”he concluded.
[Edité par Alice Bergoënd]
