Chisinau International Airport gets authorization to provide fueling services

The Civil Aviation Authority on November 14 issued the Ground Handling Certificate for the Chisinau International Airport (AIC), authorizing it to provide kerosene fueling services.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC), the inclusion of this capability in AIC's certificate confirms that the company is entitled to deliver the corresponding services and proves compliance with national and international standards in the field of civil aviation.

Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu announced that the Chisinau International Airport had taken over the management of the aviation fuel storage and supply infrastructure after signing a commodatum contract with Lukoil. The official specified that this contract did not incur any costs for the state.

The measure was necessary, given that, starting from November 21, there is a risk that the asset would be blocked, which would have affected the refueling of planes.

The commodatum contract was signed on November 12, and on November 13, the handover commission verified the condition of all assets and formalized their transfer to the airport.

To avoid disruptions, authorities have negotiated more offers and have already signed a purchase contract with a manufacturer in Romania, which will supply fuel for the upcoming weeks. In parallel, the airport is negotiating with other producers for additional medium and long-term contracts.

The minister specified that Moldova was negotiating the sale-purchase stage of the asset with Lukoil.

“Since it is an important and strategic asset for the country, Moldova, through the working group mandated by the prime minister, is discussing with the company Lukoil the sale-purchase stage of the concerned asset. Negotiations and discussions are ongoing, so that we make sure that the asset returns to state control. There are multiple ways in which this asset will be operated. The optimal way is the one that ensures diversity of supply and that citizens and airline companies do not suffer,” Dorin Junghietu stated in an Rlive broadcast.

The minister noted that other European countries were facing similar situations, citing models applied in Germany and Bulgaria, where Russian company assets have come under state administration.

Ass for Romania, Bucharest authorities are analyzing the takeover of Lukoil assets under state control, including the refinery in Ploiesti, which is undergoing major maintenance.

At present, Lukoil owns about 100 petrol stations in Moldova. At the same time, more operators with different logistical supply chains are active on the petroleum market, both by land from Romania and through the Port of Giurgiulesti, so the market is supplied with fuel and stocks are stable, the minister specified.

The Council for Examination of Investments of Importance for State Security (CEIISS) last week submitted an offer to purchase the Lukoil depot at the Chisinau International Airport, so that the state can take over the company’s infrastructure and resources. The deadline for this offer is November 17.

This decision comes after the United States Department of the Treasury has recently announced sanctions against major Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft, in order to reduce Moscow's ability to finance its war effort in Ukraine.