CHISINAU, November 15. /TASS/. Chairman of the Board of the Russian-Moldovan gas distribution company Moldovagaz Vadim Cheban believes that Gazprom has every reason to stop supplies to Moldova after the country's government failed to fulfill the agreements on debt settlement.

"It should be said that, contrary to the assertions of some experts about the absence of reasons for Gazprom to terminate the contract, this is not the case. The Russian side can terminate it at any time for commercial reasons. First of all, due to the unresolved debt issue, which is an integral part of the contract. And also due to force majeure circumstances related to the conclusion of a new contract for transit through the territory of Ukraine," Cheban said in an interview with the Moldovan newspaper Logos-press.

He noted that he was not aware of any plans by the Russian gas holding to take advantage of this opportunity. Earlier, Cheban called the position of the Moldovan government, which does not recognize the company's debt to Gazprom in the amount of $709 million, unfounded.

For its part, the management of the Russian gas holding said that it strongly disagrees with Moldova's claims and intends to defend its rights. Moldova has been experiencing an energy crisis due to rising gas and electricity prices, which provoked protests. Since October 2022, Gazprom, which was previously the only gas supplier to the republic, has reduced its daily supply by 30% due to problems with transit through Ukraine. In this situation, Moldova switched to purchasing gas from European suppliers, while Russian gas is sent to the unrecognized republic of Transnistria.

Moldovagaz was established in 1999. Gazprom controls 50% of the shares, another 35.3% belongs to the Moldovan government, and 13.44% to Transnistria. The unrecognized republic transferred its shares to Gazprom.