If Moldovagaz does not pay back the loan of 1.05 billion lei with interest by May 1, 2023, the state will take over the company’s gas transmission networks.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita stated this while commenting on the decision of the Commission for Emergency Situations to grant a state loan to Moldovagaz worth the above-indicated amount, so that it could fully pay the current debt to Gazprom and make an advance payment for gas. Natalia Gavrilita said that it is necessary to give as few reasons as possible for Gazprom to stop gas supplies to Moldova, which is why the authorities have to help Moldovagaz again, in order to solve its liquidity problem. "We have agreed that Energocom helps Moldovagaz, grants a loan of 1 billion 050 million lei at an interest rate of 21.5% set by the National Bank, and the collateral is the gas transport network, which is an object of strategic importance for the energy security of the country", Prime Minister said, speaking on Jurnal TV. Natalia Gavrilita stressed that after this decision, Moldovagaz will be able to fully meet its required payments to Gazprom, and a possible decision of the Russian gas holding to shut off the gas tap will be only politically motivated. "If we are disconnected from natural gas, it should be quite clear that the disconnection is for political and not commercial reasons. We will sue if we are disconnected. Herewith, if this loan is not repaid by May 1, 2023, we will get the nation's natural gas grid. We acted through the Emergency Situations Commission with a deviation from the provisions of the law, which would have required a decision of the Management Board to approve this pledge", said Natalia Gavrilita. The head of the Government has explained that in October, Gazprom delivers to Moldova 30% less gas than it needs. Moreover, no additional amount of gas has been reserved for November. It means that next month 60% less gas might be delivered than necessary. //20.10.2022 - InfoMarket.
