27 Dec 2017 18:57

Moldovan President Dodon asks Gazprom for 10%-15% gas price cut

CHISINAU/MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Moldovan President Igor Dodon has requested a 10%-15% discount on the price of the gas Gazprom supplies to Moldova, on a par with the discounts the Russian gas giant offers to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states.

Dodon met with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller in Moscow on Wednesday and commented on the meeting on his Facebook page.

"The price of gas for Moldova has fallen more than 50% in recent years. The price of gas for the end consumer must be reduced accordingly," Dodon said.

Dodon said he and Miller discussed bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. It was noted that relations between Gazprom and Moldova are governed by the agreement signed by former deputy prime minister Zinaida Greceanii in December 2006 and valid until 2019, Dodon said. Under that agreement, the price Moldova pays for gas is determined by a special formula that sets the current price at roughly $175 per 1,000 cubic meters, down from nearly $400 that Moldova paid in past years.

"At the same time, despite the fact that over the last few years the price of gas for Moldova has fallen more than 50%, households pay almost $380 per 1,000 cubic meters. The price of gas for the end consumer must be lowered," Dodon said.

Pointing out that Moldova has filed for observer status in the EAEU and that its application was approved by all the member states, Dodon asked Miller to lower the price of gas by another 10%-15%."In future, we hope to reach a price of gas on the same level as the EAEU member states. This will make it possible to further lower gas rates for end consumers and in turn trigger a chain reaction of price cuts on all goods and services in our country," he said.

In its own press release, Gazprom said Dodon and Miller discussed ongoing cooperation in the energy sector.

"The meeting focused on the ongoing cooperation in the energy sector, including the reliability of gas deliveries over the course of the heating season in Moldova. It was noted that Gazprom provided the required amounts of gas to the country's consumers. The parties also discussed issues related to the transit of Russian gas across Moldova to Europe," Gazprom said.

Gazprom emphasized that "the contracts between Gazprom and Moldovagaz for gas supplies to and gas transit across Moldova are valid until the end of 2019."

Gazprom delivered 3 billion cubic meters of gas to Moldova in 2016.