Russian Gazprom on Monday, November 1, began supplying gas to Moldova under a new contract signed by the parties on October 29 for a period of five years. This was reported by DW.
Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Andrei Spinu said that Moldova under the contract with Russian Gazprom, will receive Russian gas in November at half the market price - about $450 per thousand cubic meters.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper that the republic was satisfied with the gas supply contract signed with Gazprom.
"Yes, we are satisfied that this contract has been agreed upon and signed," Sandu said.
According to her, Moldova will have gas after November 1. "And that's already very good. There is a price, which suggests that the government or the regulator should raise gas tariffs. There will be an increase of tariffs, but at the same time, the increase is not as big as it would be if we bought gas at market price, because we all know that today's prices are very, very high," Sandu said.
To recall, the Parliament of Moldova voted to introduce a state of emergency in the country from October 22 to November 20, because of the gas shortage. On October, 23 "Gazprom" threatened to refuse further deliveries of gas to Moldova, if the latter does not pay the debt and does not agree on the terms of a new contract. Two days of gas negotiations between Moscow and Chisinau yielded no results.
The long-term contract between Moldova and Gazprom, which was signed in 2006 and has been renewed annually since then, expired on September 30. The agreement was extended for another month, during which time Chisinau bought gas from the Russian concern at a price of $790 per 1,000 cubic meters.
