Transnistria snubs EU aid, opts for Russian-backed gas deal
Russian separatists from Transnistria have rejected 60 million euros in EU aid for gas supplies, opting instead for a loan from Moscow. The new supplier is the Hungarian company MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG, according to "Rzeczpospolita".
The Prime Minister of Moldova, Dorin Recean, reported that Transnistria's authorities turned down the European Union's financial support intended for purchasing gas. The EU offer, worth about $63 million CAD, was meant to protect against energy blackmail. In the end, Transnistria decided to take a Russian loan instead.
The Hungarian company MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG, part of the MET group founded by the Hungarian firm MOL, will be supplying gas to Moldova's borders. The Moldovan state operator, Moldovagaz, is also involved in this process. The leader of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic expressed gratitude to the Russian Ministry of Energy for its support.
Gazprom halted deliveries
It is important to note that Transnistria has been facing a gas shortage since the beginning of the year. Gazprom stopped delivering supplies to Moldova due to an outstanding debt of roughly $709 million CAD. Pro-Russian separatists advised the local population to keep warm by using bonfires. In mid-January, Gazprom announced it was looking to purchase gas on the open market, but the situation remained urgent.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, offered help to Transnistria, but there was no response. Naftogaz did not renew the contract for the transit of Russian gas, indicating that gas will not be sent through Ukraine, as stressed by Ukraine’s President. Consequently, Transnistria is now forced to search for alternative sources of supply.
