Sweden backs fund of reducing energy vulnerability in Moldova

Chisinau, 16 December /MOLDPRES/ - Moldova’s government will provide compensations directly in the invoice to at least 100,000 disadvantaged families on the period November-December 2022. This is possible due to Sweden, which contributes ten million dollars to the fund of reducing the energy vulnerability from Moldova, under an agreement signed with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

„The economies of the European countries, especially the economy of Moldova, are seriously hit by Russia’s horrible and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and the continuous manipulation of the supply with energy. People fight with high costs of the living, which affect the vulnerable persons most of all. In this situation, we should be united, in order to be resilient and to overcome this winter well,’’ Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova Katarina Fried said.  

The fund of reducing the energy vulnerability was established by Moldova’s government, with the financial support of the European Union and government of Slovakia. UNDP backed the creation of the fund, development of the information system, training of social assistants, setting up and work of the call centre, as well as the carrying out of the information campaign dedicated to the fund of reducing the energy vulnerability.

„We appreciate very much the partnership and significant contribution of Sweden to the fund of reducing the energy vulnerability. This support will attenuate the pressure on the vulnerable groups and will contribute to reducing the inequalities strengthened by the multidimensional crisis faced by Moldova in the field of security, energy and cost of the living,’’ UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova Dima Al-Khatib said.    

More than a half of Moldova’s residents are hit by the energy poverty, spending over ten per cent of the household’s budgets for energy invoices, according to a UNDP’s study on the impact of the increase in the costs of the energy resources on the energy poverty of the population. UNDP estimates that the number of people who live in poverty because of the war’s impact, including the high inflation, might increase over three times, reaching up to about 35 per cent of all residents. The consequences on Moldova’s population are comprehensive, having the biggest repercussions on the already vulnerable and poor segments of the population.       

Photo: UNDP