CHISINAU, January 27. /TASS/. The Moldovan government has decided to provide Transnistria with 3 million cubic meters of gas on credit, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said at a briefing.
"The government has decided to allocate 3 million cubic meters of gas to Transnistria on credit to maintain pressure in the gas transportation system, which will allow it to hold out until January 31," Recean said.
According to him, "the EU has offered Moldova a grant of 30 million euros to purchase gas and produce electricity for Moldova at crisis-adjusted prices in order to ensure consumption in Transnistria."
He also said that Brussels intends to adopt a program for "increasing energy sustainability" for two years, which will help Chisinau shed its energy dependence.
Energy crisis
Gas supplies to Moldova were halted in early January after Kiev decided to ban the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine and Chisinau refused to settle the problem of debt for consumed gas, which the Russian side estimates at $709 million. Unlike Moldova, Transnistria does not have alternative sources of gas. In order to save resources, central heating was turned off in the unrecognized republic, hot water supply to residential buildings was stopped, industrial enterprises were shut down, and rolling blackouts began. The Moldovan State District Power Plant, located on the left bank of the Dniester, has been converted to coal, the reserves of which will last until the end of January or mid-February.
Earlier today, president of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, said that gas could begin to flow to Transnistria at the end of the week, but for this to happen, Chisinau must make "certain decisions" in the coming days and provide assistance in ensuring supplies.
He explained that some time would have to pass from the moment the supply began, which would be required to fill the system. Krasnoselsky has repeatedly appealed to the Moldovan authorities to fulfill their promise to let gas into Transnistria. He also said that Transnistria needs 3 million cubic meters of gas per day for thermal power engineering and electricity generation.