Status: 01.11.2021 3:45 p.m.
The ex-Soviet republic of Moldova and Russia have settled their dispute over gas supplies for the time being. Moscow had threatened to stop supplying gas during the cold season. The background to this is controversial debts.
After a gas dispute that had been settled for the time being, the Republic of Moldova has been receiving Russian gas on the basis of a new contract since Monday. The Moldovan media reported, citing the energy company Moldovagaz.
The small country, which borders Romania and Ukraine, will pay the Russian state-owned company Gazprom 450 US dollars (around 389 euros) per 1000 cubic meters of gas in November, wrote Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu on the social network Telegram. The price could also fall in the future – that depends on the development of the stock exchange price.
This means that Russian gas is now cheaper for the impoverished ex-Soviet republic than it was in October – but still significantly higher than last year under a Moldovan government that was friendly to Moscow.
State of emergency declared in Moldova
Chisinau and Moscow were only able to agree on an extension of the previous contract by five years on Friday evening. In the meantime, Russia had threatened to turn off the gas tap in the middle of the cold season. Moldova declared a month-long state of emergency because of the dramatic situation.
The main point of contention between the two states, besides the price issue, was above all debts, which Russia demanded but Moldova did not recognize as such. It has now been decided that the debt amount will be checked again in 2022, wrote Spinu.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu told the Russian newspaper “Kommersant” that she was satisfied with the results of the negotiations. The gas crisis is now over.
Gazprom critics had accused Russia of political intentions in the negotiations with Moldova, which is now pursuing a pro-Western course under President Sandu. The Kremlin denied this and referred, among other things, to the global rise in gas prices.