Moldova has not yet received a response from Gazprom concerning fulfillment of contractual obligations for supplies of gas after May 1, 2022, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Andrei Spinu said at a press conference.
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Due to the current circumstances and the complicated regional situation, the Moldovan authorities have been unable to organize and hold an audit of Moldovagaz's historical debt to Gazprom, Spinu said. This could formally be a reason for terminating the contract between Moldovagaz and Gazprom.
"The Moldovan authorities have acted in good faith. We announced a tender, attempted to organize an audit. However, the situation has turned out differently," Spinu said.
"The military operation in Ukraine "has pitched us all into new conditions. Other terms of the protocol have also gone unfulfilled, including that the meeting of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission on trade-economic cooperation scheduled for March was not held. This is the objective situation," he said.
According to Spinu, he has asked Gazprom's management to change the timeframe for holding the audit multiple times. Moldovagaz has also requested in writing that Gazprom extend the timeframe by ten to 12 months.
"Unfortunately, we haven't received an answer. It's a shame that this is happening. We're afraid that Gazprom will put us on the spot at the last moment like in October of last year. Therefore, we're preparing alternative options in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of gas," he said.
Moldova is ready to purchase gas on the international market, considering various scenarios, Spinu said.
"The Energocom state company is evaluating international traders that could become potential supplier of gas to Moldova. Seven companies have expressed readiness to supply gas, some of them have already done so in October of last year," Spinu said, declining to name the companies.
The anomalous situation on the market has led to gas becoming more expensive in the warm months than in the winter, he said.
"Probably, if we're going to buy gas on the market, it will be more expensive than from Gazprom. But there's not much of a difference anymore. For example, we calculated that the average price for gas on the market for us in April would have been $1,126 per thousand cubic meters.
"And according to our long-term contract, we're buying gas from Gazprom at $1,193 per thousand cubic meters in April. As you see, the difference is negligible," Spinu said.
Spinu expressed certainty that independent of the price of gas imports, the rate for the end consumer will remain the same in April and May, and in June, it will depend on the situation on the market. Consumers are currently paying for gas at a rate of $650 per thousand cubic meters.
Moldovagaz and Gazprom signed a five-year contract for the supply of gas that entered into effect on November 1, 2021. The conclusion of the contract was preceded by the signing of a protocol on the further actions of the parties.
According to the protocol signed by Spinu and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller in October of last year, Moldova is required to hold an audit of Moldovagaz's debt, which the Russian party puts at $709 million.
The results of the audit are supposed to be presented before May 1, 2022. Moldovagaz and Gazprom have signed an agreement on debt settlement envisaging all debts being paid off in the course of five years.
A tender for the audit was announced at the end of January 2022 by the Moldovan Public Property Agency. The Moldovan government, however, declared it a failure, as the conditions of the tender were not observed, including as concerns the participation of no less than two foreign companies.
Gazprom said at the beginning of February that "the Moldovan side's unilateral approach to holding an audit of Moldovagaz's debt goes against the agreements reached in October 2021." ■
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