CHISINAU, July 18. /TASS/. Full-scale gas deliveries to Moldova, which were halted following the suspension of transit through Ukraine, must be resumed, Russian Ambassador to Chisinau Oleg Ozerov said in an interview with TASS. According to him, the issue was discussed during a meeting between several Moldovan politicians and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow.
"The prospects and possibilities for resuming full-scale gas supplies to both Moldova and Transdniestria were discussed. This situation clearly requires resolution and normalization. Russia is ready for this, assuming of course that reciprocal steps are also taken by the Moldovan side," the diplomat said.
According to Ozerov, Russia has repeatedly called and continues to call for the "normalization of energy supply issues" with Moldova. "You can build all the new power lines you want and declare your energy independence, but gas and electricity prices won’t go down unless there are direct deliveries of cheap energy resources from Russia," he noted.
Gazprom halted gas supplies to Moldova at the beginning of this year after transit through Ukrainian territory was banned and Chisinau refused to resolve its outstanding debt for previously consumed fuel. As a result, the Moldavskaya GRES power plant in Transdniestria, which had been supplying electricity to Moldova, switched to coal and now only serves consumers on the left bank of the Dniester River. Moldova’s shift to importing gas and electricity from the EU has led to rising prices and sparked anti-government protests across the country.