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Moldovan cabinet approves transfer of funds to Moldovagaz to repay debt to Gazprom

The country is to pay about $74 mln, which includes the payment for gas consumed in October and November

CHISINAU, November 26. /TASS/. The Moldovan government has approved the transfer of funds to the local gas distribution company Moldovagaz for repayment of its debt to Gazprom. The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of the cabinet of ministers on Friday.

"The decree stipulates the transfer of finances by the state company Energocom to the account of Moldovagaz to cover the current debt to Gazprom. This is necessary for ensuring uninterrupted gas supplies," the republic’s Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilitsa commented on the decree.

Moldova is to pay about $74 mln, which includes the payment for gas consumed in October and November. On Thursday the Moldovan parliament approved the allocation of those funds urgently due to the threat of supply suspension.

Finance Minister Dmitry Budyansky said at the parliament meeting that Moldovagaz, which faced difficulties due to the difference in local tariffs and the price of imported fuel in October, asked the government to interfere into the situation earlier.

Gazprom spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov said on Monday that Moldovagaz was supposed to make the next payment on November 22, but failed to do so, adding that Gazprom was preparing to stop gas supplies to the country due to that.