Prime Minister calls on ANRE to "carefully" and "transparently" examine Moldovagaz's request to increase tariffs

Chisinau, Nov 27 /MOLDPRES/- The request of Moldovagaz to increase natural gas tariffs must be analyzed very carefully and transparently by the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), Prime Minister Dorin Recean said at today's cabinet meeting.

"It is a request that should be analyzed very carefully and transparently by ANRE. In any case, the government will stand by Moldovan citizens," Recean assured.

The Prime Minister noted that there are several questions regarding the request for the tariff increase, in particular how the natural gas was purchased and that these questions will be answered during the parliamentary hearings next week. "I know there are a lot of questions about this gas tariff hike request, how the purchases were made in the summer, fall and so on. Those questions need to be clarified," he said.

Recean said that a hard winter will follow, complicated by a possible energy crisis. If Russia's Gazprom fails to meet contractual obligations, citizens in the Transnistrian region would be left without electricity and gas. At the same time, the Prime Minister gave assurances that the authorities will find solutions for these crisis situations and will help citizens.

Moldovagaz is asking ANRE to increase natural gas tariffs by more than 4 lei per cubic meter. Thus, the new tariff would be 16.36 lei/m3 (excluding VAT), compared to the current price of 12.15 lei/m3.

MP Radu Marian, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance, announced that next week public parliamentary hearings will be organized on the situation in the energy sector. Marian claims that Moldovagaz's request "arouses dissatisfaction and puzzlement among many citizens, especially considering that some officials in the field were making optimistic statements about the energy situation a few months ago".

Members of ANRE's Board of Directors will meet on November 29, to examine and approve gas prices.