Moldovan parliament speaker says incident of January 31 shows how important it is to invest in country’s energy independence

The incident on January 31, when more settlements of Moldova were left without electricity following failures recorded in Ukraine’s energy system, shows how important the country’s energy independence is, underlined Parliament Speaker  Igor Grosu. The official urged people to be grateful and to value the peace and quiet in their homes and he thanked the teams that worked to reconnect the electricity and to keep the roads passable.

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu highlighted the importance of building strong institutions and investing in the country’s energy independence. He noted that, although some citizens had spent a few hours in the dark today, Ukrainians have been living this reality for almost four years, because of the war waged by Russia, which destroys lives and hits civilian infrastructure.

“The today’s incident shows once again how important it is to build strong institutions and to invest in our energy independence. Today, some of us spent a few hours in the dark. Ukrainians have been living this reality for almost four years, because of the brutal war waged by Russia against Ukraine. The Kremlin regime destroys lives and hits civilian infrastructure, leaving people in cold and darkness day after day. That is why, we must be grateful and always cherish the peace and quiet we have in our homes,” Igor Grosu wrote on his Facebook account.

The speaker thanked everyone involved in recent days for their efforts to restore electricity and heat, keep roads passable and ensure the security of citizens. At the same time, the parliament speaker reminded the public of the authorities’ recommendations in crisis situations:

- get information from official sources, as institutions will continue to update the information;

- act responsibly and calmly;

- save phone battery and use the phone only for emergencies;

- travel with caution;

- take care of and check on the most vulnerable members of the community.

Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu announced that Moldova was facing a delicate situation in the national power system as a result of failures in Ukraine’s electricity grid. The official called on citizens to stay calm and assured them that the situation would be resolved in at most two hours. “We are cooperating with the energy operator in Ukraine to restore the connections,” the minister said.

Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu addressed a message to citizens after the major disruptions recorded in Moldova’s power system today morning. The PM urged the population to remain calm and show solidarity, noting that it is natural for people to be worried when they are affected by lack of electricity, heating and communications. “I urge you to stay united, to take care of the most vulnerable and to trust that institutions are working to resolve the problem quickly,” the prime minister said.