Moldovagaz should conduct dialog on gas supplies to Transniestria, there are options - Transniestrian leader
TIRASPOL. Dec 11 (Interfax) - There are options for supplying gas to Transniestria after 2024, and Moldovagaz should conduct the corresponding negotiations, said Vadim Krasnoselsky, leader of the self-proclaimed Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic.
"The agreement on gas transit through the territory of Ukraine expires on December 31, 2024. In the event it is not renewed, natural gas will stop flowing to the territory of Transniestria. It was clear before that there would be problems concluding an agreement. Transdniestria worked closely with both Russia and Ukraine. We negotiated to maintain transit of gas sent to Transniestria. As such, there were no direct negotiations with Moldova. Naturally, they were conducted at the level of working groups, at the level of individual contacts," Krasnoselsky said on Wednesday at the Supreme Council of the Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic, which approved his decree on a state of emergency in the economy in the republic for a period of 30 days.
Krasnoselsky said he believed the problem of gas supplies to Transniestria could be resolved.
"Gas can be supplied to Transniestria by two routes. The first is the classic, standard option, which we are used, via the territory of Ukraine, Sudzha-Grebenki. The second is an alternative created four years ago: through Causeni, through Moldova, through Romania, the so-called TurkStream to Transniestria. It's there, it exists, it's operating. The cross-section of the pipe and the pressure are quite sufficient to obtain the gas needed both for internal needs and to generate electricity for export. This needs to be understood. So there are options, but agreements - not quite," the Transdniestria leader said.
He said Moldovagaz and government officials were directly responsible for holding the negotiations.
"There is of course Moldovagaz, there are officials who are mandated by the government and the president to conduct negotiations, officials specifically for the energy sector. This is their direct responsibility. I want to quell speculation right away that someone does not want to let through or supply gas. This is not true. I have the opinion, knowledge that neither Russia nor Ukraine want to hinder the supply of natural gas to Transniestria. We just need to come to an agreement, we need to sign an agreement, we need to work on this," Krasnoselsky said.
He said that two weeks ago, the now former Moldovan energy minister, Victor Parlicov, travelled to St. Petersburg, where he held talks with the head of Gazprom , Alexei Miller.
"When Victor Parlicov went to Russia just recently, he had a meeting at the highest level at Gazprom with the most senior officials. There was an absolutely constructive dialogue about supplies. But soon afterwards for some reason he was dismissed from his post in Moldova. I don't think this had anything to do with the negotiations, but anything is possible. But who'll be doing the talking next? Overall, the ball is in the court of Moldovagaz and the relevant officials in Moldova," Krasnoselsky said.
He said that if Russian gas supplies to Transniestria came to a halt, the region would face a lot of difficulties, and it would also be impossible to supply electricity from the Moldavskaya GRES, or MGRES power plant in Transniestria to the right bank of the Dniester.
"Someone should think about this too, about the citizens of Moldova permanently residing in this state. Nobody should be gambling with them. There is no point in blaming one or another state. This is wrong and unfair. Not a single official has yet said convincingly whether there will be gas or not, nothing of the kind. I have already addressed the citizens and said literally this, that the issue might be in limbo right until the evening of December 31," Krasnoselsky said.
The order signed by Krasnoselsky on December 9 declared an economic emergency in Transdniestria and banned energy exports, in other words. power supply to the Dniester western bank. The order was amended on Tuesday and now says "there will be no restrictions in case of continued natural gas supply to the region."
So the assumption is that MGRES will continue to supply electricity to Moldova, provided that gas supplies to the plant continue. MGRES supplies about 80% of Moldova's electricity.
Moldova plans to declare an energy emergency on December 16 in the wake of Kiev's announcement of stopping Russian gas transit through the Ukrainian territory. If the transit stops, it will be hard for Gazprom to supply the necessary amounts of gas to Transdniestria.
Former Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said last week that Gazprom might stop supplying gas to Transdniestria after January 1, 2025. He said Russia was ready to continue gas supply to Transdniestria if Chisinau agrees with Kiev on continuing Russian gas transit through Ukraine.
Gazprom conditions gas supply to Transdniestria on Moldova's recognition of its historical debt estimated by Gazprom at $709 million. Chisinau does not recognize the debt, citing results of an international audit, which, in turn, are not recognized by Gazprom.