Home ›› 27 Oct 2021 ›› World Biz
Moldova has signed a contract with Poland for natural gas deliveries, the ex-Soviet country for the first time turning to a supplier other than Russia amid a showdown with Moscow.
The move comes after Russian state energy giant Gazprom hiked prices for Moldova, prompting the country’s pro-Western government to declare a state of emergency that allowed it to seek alternative supplies.
The Moldovan government said late Monday it had signed an agreement with Polish state-owned company PGNiG on “the trial purchase” of one million cubic metres of gas for Moldovan utility company Energocom.
“It is the first acquisition of gas from alternative sources in Moldova’s history,” the government press service said in a statement.
PGNiG in its press release said the tender “was organised on an urgent basis due to reduction in gas supplies to Moldova by Gazprom.”
Pressure has been mounting on Moldova’s political leadership after the country’s contract with Gazprom expired in September.
Gazprom, which extended the contract until the end of October, warned last week it could cut Moldova’s gas supply if the country does not settle its bill and sign a new contract.
The company this month raised prices for Moldova to $790 per thousand cubic metres from $550.
Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu said the hikes were “not justified and not realistic” for Europe’s poorest country.
He was expected to travel to Russia on Wednesday for talks with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.
“We want to sign a long-term contract, but with mutually advantageous prices and terms,” Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said Monday, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Moldova’s shortages come amid skyrocketing gas prices in Europe that some have blamed on Moscow not providing additional supplies.
Long divided between pro-Europeans and those supporting continued links with Moscow, Moldova last year elected a pro-EU president, Maia Sandu, whose party won a resounding victory in parliamentary polls in July.
