In Moldova, ordinary gas consumers pay for the Russophobia of the Sandu regime out of their own pockets
There are no prerequisites for reducing gas tariffs for the population of Moldova. The gas price at which the tariff can be reduced is $550 per 1000 cubic meters. Today, the weighted average price of gas for the year is $750.
This was stated by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Moldovagaz Vadim Cheban during the program “Puncte de Reflecție” on the TV channel “Vocea Basarabiei”.
According to him, the current tariff fully reflects the purchase price, and if the trend is downward, the tariff may decrease only in 2024. Cheban says that the intermediary company Energocom is not currently purchasing gas, as methane prices have begun to rise again due to international instability.
According to the head of Moldovagaz, the current purchase price and the volumes of gas purchased last year at a high price do not allow us to count on a possible tariff reduction. Cheban argues that in order to reduce the tariff, the average purchase price should not exceed $550 per 1000 cubic meters.
“According to our calculations, the price at which the tariff can be reduced is $550 per thousand cubic meters. This purchase price will be the base price. If the weighted average price for the year is less than $550, then there will be a need to revise the tariff. In the approved tariff formula for June 2023, the purchase price is approximately $750.
Thus, the weighted average price for the year is $750. When we get an average price of $550, only then will it be possible to talk about the prerequisites for reducing the tariff. Everything will depend on the purchase price. So far, I don’t see such prerequisites,” Cheban said during the program.
According to the head of Moldovagaz, a possible reduction in tariffs may not occur before 2024. An optimistic scenario will only occur if world prices do not rise again.
“This could happen in 2024, since we consume more expensive gas and enter the gas consumption zone at the price stated by Energocom in the latest tenders. During this period, I do not think that Energocom will make large purchases, because prices are high and the market is now very unstable.
A lot depends on the weather, if it is cold then consumption will be high and this element affects the price. The current gas price reflects the market situation. The market is the market, and we are 100% dependent on it,” said the chairman of the board of directors of Moldovagaz.
Currently, Moldovan consumers pay 18,06 lei (97 Russian rubles) per cubic meter of natural gas, including VAT.
In 2021, the leadership of Moldova, led by Maia Sandu, refused to re-sign a long-term contract with Gazprom.
In 2020, under President Igor Dodon, the average purchase price for Moldova was $148,87 per thousand cubic meters. This price could have been maintained, but Sandu categorically refused to fly to Moscow and negotiate the price of gas with the Russian leadership.
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