Overcoming energy crisis in Transdniestria could help political settlement - OSCE chairperson-in-office
CHISINAU. Jan 10 (Interfax) - Overcoming the energy crisis in Transdniestria could help a political settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said.
Joint actions of Chisinau and Tiraspol taken in this context can build confidence and facilitate the search for a political solution to the conflict, Valtonen said at a press briefing in Chisinau on Thursday at the end of her visit to Moldova.
The European Union will help overcome the energy crisis, Valtonen said. She added that the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) had expressed their solidarity and readiness to support Chisinau, which is important for Moldova's sustainable development and stability in Europe.
In the short term, the Moldovan government and international partners are ready to assist in overcoming the energy crisis in Transdniestria, Valtonen said. She said financial assistance to those in need is also possible with the UN support.
Moldova should find a more sustainable solution for the development of the energy sector, so as not to be dependent on one energy supplier, Valtonen said. This is particularly important as the supplier is Russia and it is not reliable, she said. Energy supply to Moldova should be diversified in the long run, Valtonen said.
She said she had met with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean, Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian during the day. She also visited Bender to meet with Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky and Transdniestrian chief negotiator Vitaly Ignatyev.
Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Transdniestria on January 1 due to the failure of Moldovagaz to fulfill its contractual obligations and the non-payment of the accumulated debt of $709 million.
The national gas operator Moldovagaz has a contract with Gazprom for the annual delivery of 3.2 billion cubic meters of gas (including 1.1 bcm for Moldova and 2.1 bcm for Transdniestria). The contract is valid from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2026.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Ukraine, Gazprom cut gas supply to Moldova to 5.7 million cubic meters a day, or only 30% of the amount consumed by Moldova in the cold season. Since then, Moldovagaz has been transferring the entire amount of Russian gas to Transdniestria, which provided Moldova with cheaper electricity ($66 per 1MW/h). Transdniestria did not pay Gazprom. Chisinau estimates the debt at over $11 billion.