OREANDA-NEWS. October 01, 2013. Economics Minister Valeriu Lazar has said that too many speculations are made about the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, while commenting on statements regarding the constructions works’ delay.

The minister stressed that the government complied with the schedule concerning the project’s implementation.

„As long as the company does not have any deviation from the set term, it is up to them the way they organise themselves. As for me, it is important that they have a deadline when they should make the unit available for operation,” Lazar said.

Lazar explained that there was a period called the site’s preparing for any construction site. This means that human and material resources are mobilised. Simply speaking, the pipes which have to be brought are ordered, the works in the pre-site phase are in the full swing, Lazar said.

Lazar stressed that representatives of the winner company would come to Chisinau. He also said the company “must present an agenda, day by day, week by week, which would prove the way they are going to fit in the terms set out in the contract”.

Romanian European MP Elena Basescu has recently sent a letter to European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger, showing her concern about the construction’s delay. "The Commission is in tight contact with the Romanian and Moldovan authorities as regards this issue. We are confident that the works will start soon," Oettinger’s spokesperson Marlene Holzner said. Holzner avoided commenting on the letter sent by Elena Basescu to Oettinger. Lazar also abstained from comments.

The construction works for the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline were launched on 27 august. „Once the Ungheni-Iasi gas pipeline put into operation, scheduled for 2014, we will have an additional way to import natural gas. Together with the EU and Romanian partners, we have also started preparations for the next stage of the project, including the pipe’s extension to Chisinau," Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said.

The works are carried out by the Romanian-Austrian consortium, which brings together the companies JV Habau Pipeline Systems SRL, Inspet SA and IPM-Partners SRL. The Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline construction works shall be finished in 17 months. The project’s total cost is about 26.5 million euros. The gas pipeline’s capacity will allow transporting 0.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year at the first stage and 1.5 billion at the second one. The Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline will have a length of 43.2 km, of which 11 km on Moldova’s territory.