EU provides Moldova with support worth 30 million euros, in context of energy situation on left bank of Dniester

The European Union comes up with a support package for Moldova, in the context of the energy crisis on the left bank of Dniester. The support implies the delivery of 3 million cubic metres of natural  gas to the Transnistrian region and the providing of a grant worth 30 million euros for the generation of electric energy, including for the right bank of Dniester. Prime Minister Dorin Recean unveiled these actions today.

„I come up with an important announcement, in the context of the crisis triggered by the unjustified ceasing by Gazprom of the deliveries of natural gas to the left bank of Dniester, which runs the risks of creating an emergency situation in the sense of the humanitarian crisis from there. The government has worked a lot on all this period since the deliveries were stopped, so that the people are not hit by the crisis. We proposed more solutions, which were refused by the Tiraspol unconstitutional authorities. Today, we come up with a solution which should be in the interest of all Moldova’s citizens. And this solution was coordinated with the European Commission, Our goal is to immediately put an end to the humanitarian crisis on the left bank of Dniester, to provide additional assistance to all Moldova’s citizens and ensure the development and resilience of the country’s energy system for long term,’’ PM Dorin Recean said.

The prime minister noted that, in the emerged situation, the European Union was again saving Moldova and proposed the country a support package, made up of three components. The first component regards the immediate intervention.

„Today, we will approve a loan of 3 million cubic metres of gas for the left bank of Dniester, so that the pressure is maintained in the natural system from there. This will give us a breathing space till 31 January 2025,’’ Recean said.

The second component implies emergency intervention for the period 1-10 February.

„In this respect, EU provides a grant worth 30 million euros for us to buy the needed volumes of natural gas for this period, in order to produce electric energy for the right bank of Dniester at the costs before the crisis and to provide also the consumption of natural gas on the left bank of Dniester and production of electric energy,’’ Dorin Recean stressed.

The third component regards a complex programme of energy resilience for the next two years.

„In parallel, Moldova’s government and the European Commission work on a programme of assistance for the next two years. This assistance package has two basic components. The first one regards the investments necessary both for the production and in the distribution of electric energy and we should make sure that we have electric energy and cannot be blackmailed. The second components concerns measures to cut the tariff for electric energy for all Moldova’s citizens. This complex programme is to be given the final touches in the next weeks and we will come up with an accurate public announcement with concrete sums, on how it will be carried out,’’ Dorin Recean said.

Since 1 January 2025, the residents of the Transnistrian region have been living in cold and darkness, after Gazprom ceased the deliveries of natural gas, despite an existing contract.