The company "Moldovagaz" will receive from the state budget 1.4 billion lei, provided for Energocom, which will allow it to pay off "Gazprom" for gas supplies in October and November and avoid the termination of gas supplies.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spinu said this to reporters on Tuesday, noting that the allocation of these funds was provided earlier, and it will become possible after the parliament on Thursday, November 25, adopts the corresponding amendments to the Law on the State Budget for 2021 on second reading. At the same time, Andrei Spinu emphasized that he had previously informed Moldovagaz and Gazprom that the government was taking measures to resolve the situation with the current debt for gas, but it takes a little more time to comply with all legislative procedures, which were somewhat delayed. He expressed regret that Gazprom decided to notify the Moldovan side in this way about the possible termination of gas supplies, noting that today he will send another letter to the Russian gas holding, in which he will inform about the steps taken by the government to resolve the situation. The Deputy Prime Minister explained that, according to the decision of the National Commission for Emergency Situations, the government proposed amendments to the Law on the State Budget for 2021, according to which 1.7 billion lei is allocated for Energocom. Of this amount, 300 million lei were used to buy gas in October during the state of emergency, and 1.4 billion lei will be allocated to support current payments for gas in October and November. Andrei Spinu noted that last week the Ministry of Finance presented the draft amendments to the state budget for this year in parliament, and the document was voted on in the first reading. It is planned to be approved on the second reading this Thursday, and the funds provided for Energocom will be available. The Deputy Prime Minister specified that the solution proposed by the government is to conclude a contract on the assignment of a part of Termoelectrica's debt to Moldovagaz to Energocom for about 1.4 billion lei. This amount is needed by Moldovagaz to pay for current supplies to Gazprom "It is planned that Energocom will pay Moldovagaz a part of Termoelectrica's debt, and Moldovagaz will make payments for gas." This government action will reduce both Termoelectrica's debt to Moldovagaz and to solve the urgent problem of current payments for consumed gas. This step will also contribute to the reduction of the debt of the right bank to Gazprom, in accordance with the obligations of the authorities, and relations in the future between Energocom and Termoelectrica will be resolved in the next period, given that both are state-owned companies, "Andrei Spinu stressed. He also stressed that the procedures for implementing the solution found were a little delayed, since the government decided to take all actions not in a state of emergency, but through amending the budget through parliament, so that everything is more transparent, and all information was available. // 23.11.2021 — InfoMarket
