CHISINAU, December 28. /TASS/. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean has threatened to go to court over Gazprom's decision to limit gas supplies to the republic to zero cubic meters per day from January 1 due to Moldovagaz's debt.
"Today, Gazprom notified its subsidiary Moldovagaz that it would stop supplying natural gas from January 1. <…> The government will carefully analyze legal options, including appealing to international arbitration, to protect our national interests and seek compensation in connection with the Kremlin's decisions, which will entail economic losses and threaten the security of Moldovan citizens," he said in a statement published on Facebook page (banned in Russia; owned by Meta Corporation, which is recognized as extremist in Russia).
Recean confirmed that his government does not recognize the debt to Gazprom for supplied gas, which representatives of the Russian gas holding estimate at $709 million.
"The government condemns this repressive tactic and reiterates that it does not recognize any alleged debts that were declared invalid by an international audit," the statement said.
Earlier on Saturday, Gazprom notified the gas distribution company Moldovagaz that it would stop supplies to Moldova from January 1, 2025, due to the Moldovan side's breach of contract and refusal to settle the debt for supplies.
Previously, the Moldovan government admitted that a delay in the assumed obligations to settle the debt could be grounds for terminating the contract. For their part, government representatives accused Gazprom of violating its obligations regarding supply volumes.
As Rechan stated, if gas supplies to Transnistria are stopped, the region "expects a collapse," and Moldovan consumers will face higher prices for electricity, which the right bank of the Dniester buys from Transnistria at a reduced price.
In case of an energy crisis, the Moldovan government has formed gas reserves and worked out alternative supply routes. However, problems may arise with the payment for gas by Transnistrian energy companies, which are currently using Russian fuel on credit.