OREANDA-NEWS. September 05, 2013. Valeriu Lazar meets representatives of Gazprom and the Ministry of Energy of RF in the framework of his participation in the sitting of the CIS Economic Council, the Vice-premier, Minister of Economy of Moldova, Co-chair of the Moldovan-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade-and-Economic Cooperation said. The Russian Party, he stressed, confirmed its willingness to meet and discuss in detail the circle of energy problems in Russian-Moldovan relations.

Although there have been no final results, such as signed agreements, but there is a system of multi-level and multi-faceted communication between specialists of branch departments and enterprises of Moldova and Russia, Valeriu Lazar noted. “I feel like we are approaching the moment when an amount and a weight of decisions made will be enough for Moldova and Russia to sign a frame Intergovernmental Energy Cooperation Agreement”, the Moldovan Minister stressed. In 2012, Moldova and Russian announced their intentions to sing the Intergovernmental Energy Cooperation Agreement and the long-term gas supply contract, but later they postponed the signing due to some unsolved issues.

The issues concern protection to Russian investments when Moldova’s implementing requirements of the third energy package of the EU as well as the debt of consumers of Moldova for natural gas, which exceeded \\$4.5 billion, Transdniestria’s huge indebtedness included. Instead of signing the new ones, Moscow and Chisinau have prolonged the old gas supply and transit contracts between Gazprom and Moldovagaz for another year. Let’s remind that Russia proposes that Moldova should renounce its commitment to implement the second and the third energy packages of the EU.

These packages require separating gas distribution and gas transition networks, which leaves Gazprom, owing property in both sectors, no legal certainty for running business at the market of Moldova. Earlier, on September, 12, Energy Minister of Russia Alexandr Novak briefed to journalists that Russia would bring the gas price for Moldova down if our country denounced the Protocol of the Entry to the EU Energy Cooperation Agreement and settled the debt for gas to RF. In reply, authorities of Moldova pointed out commitment of the country to remain a member of the energy community and got the permission of the EU to postpone implementation of the terms Russia fears of till 2020.

During this period Chisinau is going to restructure Moldovagaz, 50% of which are controlled by Gazprom, and to ensure protection to Russian investments made in the gas sector of Moldova. Late 2012, authorities of Moldova made Russia official proposals on implementing the third energy package requirements concerning the restructuring of its national gas sector. According to Moldovan authorities, the proposals made by Chisinau exclude any risk to investments made by Gazprom through Moldovagaz in Moldova.

The formula proposed to Russia by the government of Moldova stipulates creation of an independent system operator in the gas sector, which will Russian investments in Moldova riskless, allow to form the inner competitive gas market, and ensure the stable functioning of the gas system, including transit of Russian gas through Moldova to the Balkan states.