Moldova declares 60-day energy emergency

CHISINAU. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Moldova has declared a 60-day emergency starting on December 16 to address the complicated energy situation.

The decision was made in the small hours of Friday at the request of Moldovan Prime Minister Dorian Recean.

Recean said there was a risk of termination of gas supply to Transdniestria and added that the emergency would enable the government to make operational decisions beyond national laws.

Parliamentary majority members supported the government proposal, and the opposition was strongly against it. Opposition parliamentarians accused the government of poor preparations for the winter, the inability to agree with Russia and Ukraine on gas supply and transit, and the aspiration for circumventing laws under emergency.

In the end, the emergency resolution passed by 56 votes, 17 voted against, and three did not vote. There were 76 out of 101 deputies left in the parliament room at the voting moment.

The gas tariff for end users grew 27.6% in Moldova on December 1. The decision to raise domestic prices was made urgently, following a substantial increase in purchase prices for natural gas on international markets.