VIDEO // State refuses approval of investment activity of Lukoil-Moldova Ltd company, takes over oil infrastructure at Chisinau International Airport

The Council for the Examination of Investments in Areas of Importance for State Security today took made a major impact decision on the energy sector and national security. The authority ruled to refuse the continuation of investment activities by Lukoil-Moldova Limited Liability Company (LLC) on the territory of Moldova and to return, within 20 days, to the situation prior to 2005, when the infrastructure of the Airport oil complex was taken over by the company, reports MOLDPRES.

Consequently, all assets related to this complex, according to the contract signed in 2005, are to be transferred to the ownership of Moldova.

The decision was taken following the failure of Lukoil-Moldova LLC to meet more mandatory requirements set by the Council since May 2024, within the process of verifying investments in strategically important sectors. They include the obligation to divest the 'Airport' oil complex, located in the immediate vicinity of Chisinau International Airport, the modification of the corporate structure by excluding entities targeted by international sanctions, as well as the divestment of the oil depot located on Muncesti Street.

At the same time, the Working Group for managing risks associated with international sanctions applied to the Lukoil group has notified the competent authorities to investigate the circumstances in which, in 2005, the airport’s oil terminal’s takeover occurred.





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Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu emphasized that the adopted decision aimed solely at public interest and state safety.

‘’This decision is necessary, in order to ensure the uninterrupted and safe functioning of fuel supply for aircrafts, as well as to protect national security and the critical infrastructure of Moldova,’’ said the PM.

The authorities specify that, with the return to the situation before 2005, the state will become, within 20 days, the owner of the airport’s oil infrastructure, with necessary measures to be undertaken to manage it safely and according to the public interest.

The oil infrastructure of Chisinau International Airport represents a strategic essential element for the safe and uninterrupted operation of civil aviation in Moldova. It ensures the reception, storage and refueling of aircrafts with fuel, being located in the immediate vicinity of the airport, in order to allow for efficient operation of flights.

By its role, the oil complex is part of the critical infrastructure category, as any dysfunctionality could affect flight safety, the regularity of air routes, and the country’s international connectivity. For this reason, its activity is subject to a special regime of regulation and control by state authorities.

The management and legal status of this infrastructure have been influenced over time by investment decisions that have led the authorities to reassess the administration of strategic assets. In the current context, marked by risks to energy security and the application of international sanctions, the state seeks to ensure full control over the airport’s oil infrastructure. Thus, the oil infrastructure at the Chisinau International Airport represents a public interest strategic asset, indispensable for national security and the proper work of the air transport.