Moldovan authorities looking for solution to solve energy crisis in Transdniestria - Moldovan president

CHISINAU. Jan 23 (Interfax) - The Moldovan authorities are looking for solutions that will help solve the energy crisis in Transdniestria, the Moldovan president said.

"President Maia Sandu has informed about the main challenges faced by the country [...] Moldova is focusing on ensuring energy security and reducing the economic vulnerability of its citizens," Sandu said on Thursday at a meeting with the ambassadors of the European countries and the G7 states, including the United States, Canada and Japan, accredited in Moldova, the presidential press service told Interfax.

The relevant Moldovan authorities are studying the possibility of supplying gas to Transdniestria through the company Moldovagaz. Sandu reiterated again that Moldova is not obstructing gas supplies to Transdniestria and "the current energy crisis was caused artificially by the Kremlin to cause a quarrel between the two banks of the Dniester," the president said.

Transdniestrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky in a Thursday video address to Sandu again accused Moldova of obstructing gas supplies to the region, Interfax reported earlier.

Gazprom stopped gas supplies to Transdniestria on January 1. Gazprom said the decision was made to the non-fulfilment of contractual obligations by the company Moldovagaz and the non-repayment of the historical debt of $709 million.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean has accused Gazprom of non-fulfilment of its contractual obligations to supply gas. He said Moldova has no debts on the contract signed on October 29, 2021 for five years. In addition, the Moldovan authorities do not recognize the "historical debt," citing the results of an international audit. Official Chisinau has accused Moscow of energy blackmail to destabilize the situation in Moldova.