Fuel crisis: PM announces Romania to support Moldova

The Republic of Moldova will be able to resume diesel imports from Romania after the Romanian authorities agreed to make an exception to the export restrictions, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan made the statement at a TV show.

The Prime Minister explained that the current fuel crisis was caused by regional disruptions in diesel supply, following damage to a pipeline that supplied the Petromidia refinery.

“In the region there was a diesel shortage and we had to intervene as a state with a series of measures which, fortunately, have begun to improve the situation,” said Tofan.

He also explained why cheaper crude oil is not immediately reflected in prices at the pump.

“The price is set by ANRE based on the average of the last 14 days. For this reason, when international quotations fall, pump prices decrease more slowly. Mathematically, prices will continue to fall,” the Prime Minister said.

According to the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, in recent days the diesel shortage has decreased, but the situation became complicated again after Romania introduced restrictions on re-exports.

“The number of stations without diesel fell from about 70 to 40, which shows that the measures started to work. Today, however, it increased again to 80, after Romania imposed restrictions on diesel re-exports,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that during his recent visit to Bucharest, he requested a derogation for the Republic of Moldova from the Romanian authorities.

“The purpose of my visit to Bucharest was to convince the Romanian side to make an exception for the Republic of Moldova. We were promised this and this exception will be granted. We will once again be able to import diesel from Romania and this will solve the shortage,” Vasile Tofan said.

The Prime Minister thanked the Romanian authorities for their support.

“I want to thank our colleagues and brothers in Romania. This time as well, they have greatly contributed to our energy independence. Running out of diesel in the middle of the agricultural season would have been a catastrophe,” he said.