Russian gas and promises of low prices: What Energy Minister says

Moldova's natural gas market is liberalized, but companies promising deliveries at low prices must have the financial capacity and resources to manage such transactions. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu made the statement on Radio Moldova, where he also spoke about the difficulties of transporting Russian gas and Gazprom's reliability.


„Moldova's gas market is liberalized. The ANRE license costs 3,450 lei. No one is stopping any company from coming to register and obtain a license. However, it is very important for those companies to have a reputation, the financial capacity to manage such transactions, and the necessary human capital. So, many politicians can make statements and promise gas at 10 lei or 4 lei, but only from the sidelines,” Dorin Junghietu said.


Referring to Russian natural gas, the minister explained that some of the routes through which it reached Moldova are no longer available, while the remaining route is overloaded, as it is also being used by other consumers.


„Technically, at present, some of the routes through which Russian gas reached Moldova are no longer available. We know very well what happened in Ukraine. The route that remains is overloaded. Since it is operating at full capacity, the volumes have been contracted by other countries and other consumers. At the same time, the Gazprom contract is practically expiring,” the Energy Minister said.


Dorin Junghietu also questioned Gazprom's reliability, recalling that gas supplies had been unilaterally suspended several times, including during critical periods of the cold season.


„I believe it expires this month. At the same time, the question is: is it a reliable supplier if, over time, they have unilaterally stopped our gas supplies so many times, including at critical moments and in the middle of winter?” the minister said.


The Socialists say they are working to identify an economic agent that could complete the necessary procedures to ensure the delivery of Russian gas at a lower price to Moldova's border. The leader of the Socialists claims that he has reached an understanding with Russia in this regard and says he will demonstrate that such a solution is possible, despite the skepticism expressed by the authorities.

At the same time, President Maia Sandu explained why Moldova does not purchase natural gas from Russia, noting that supplies to the country were reduced and subsequently suspended in 2022, in breach of the contractual provisions. In addition, after the transit agreement through Ukraine expired, Russian gas no longer reaches the Transnistrian region, where Russia supports a separatist regime.

Moldova's natural gas market is undergoing liberalization, while the authorities are pursuing the diversification of supply sources. Currently, the country purchases gas from European markets through several suppliers. At the same time, Energocom announced that it had fully contracted the 3.83 million MWh needed for the 2026–2027 cold season and that it would ensure the storage of the mandatory gas reserves.