Gazprom's gas halt: Moldova faces crisis amid elections
Gazprom will cease supplying natural gas to the Moldovan company Moldovagaz in 2025, potentially "leaving pro-Russian Transnistria in the cold," writes "Gazeta Wyborcza" on Tuesday. The energy crisis poses a substantial challenge for Chișinău in the year of parliamentary elections.
The Moldovan government recently mandated the nationalization of Moldovagaz, with Gazprom as its main shareholder. Russia continues its confrontation with the pro-Western authorities in Chișinău. The energy giant will stop supplying gas to the Moldovan company starting January 1, 2025, at 12:00 AM Eastern Time.
This move, as mentioned by "Gazeta Wyborcza," is a significant blow to pro-Russian Transnistria, which heavily relies on supplies from Russia. However, the rest of the country has successfully diversified its energy sources.
Poland also assisted in becoming independent from Russia. "Polish PGNiG came to the rescue, breaking Gazprom's monopoly on gas supplies to Moldova for the first time in history," the newspaper recalls.
Alleged debts to Gazprom
The Russian company plans to halt supplies because it claims that the Moldovan corporation owes US$433 million, which balloons to US$709 million with interest, for previous supplies. Chișinău disputes this evaluation.
To resolve the dispute, Moldova ordered an audit through a bidding process, which a Norwegian law firm and an international consultancy firm conducted. The audit concluded that the potential debt amounts to approximately US$8.6 million. Gazprom adheres to its original claims, and the issue is entangled in a broader context.
"Moscow is intentionally attempting to trigger an energy crisis in Moldova. Freezing the residents of Transnistria will test Chișinău's resilience. This is particularly crucial because parliamentary elections are scheduled for next year in Moldova, where pro-Russian political groups will vie to regain power," writes "Gazeta Wyborcza."
