The Nord Gaz Furnizare company has neither the intention nor the ability to supply gas to anyone in Moldova from December 1, and everyone can be convinced of this - Victor Parlicov.
The Minister of Energy stated this during a press conference on Monday, commenting on the company’s recent promises to supply cheaper gas to the ATU Gagauzia and some other regions of the country. “I think everyone understood that they do not want and do not have the ability to supply gas to anyone from December 1, 2023. Despite all the statements, there have been no applications to change the supplier, which is a mandatory necessary step to start gas supplies. Accordingly, only the supply of news, rumors, media noise continues, but there was no gas,” said the head of the Ministry of Energy. At the same time, he called it a good sign that the Nord Gaz Furnizare company finally began to read the legislation and realize that the free gas market is not a jungle, and you cannot do whatever you want on it. “In the free gas market there are also rules that must be followed. And one of the rules is that you cannot supply gas to a certain region and discriminate against consumers in other regions. Just like in a store, when a product must be offered to all consumers, discrimination against consumers must also not be allowed in the gas market and it must be offered to everyone,” said Victor Parlicov. He also recalled that there are responsible institutions in the gas market that monitor compliance with these rules. According to him, the concern is not even that the company does not deliver the gas it promised, but that it “simply misleads, speculates, deceives consumers, and spreads false news.” The head of the Ministry of Energy believes that in such a situation it is possible to check compliance with the licensing conditions of companies and introduce clearer rules regarding licensed companies, noting that their license should not be a “patent for generating false news.” As Victor Parlicov noted, gas supply companies supply gas, not news, and do not constantly deceive consumers. The Energy Minister recalled that at first it was said that Nord Gaz Furnizare would supply gas to household consumers at a price of 10 lei including VAT, and then it was stated that its price would be more than 11 lei excluding VAT. At the same time, supplies will begin from budgetary institutions. “But in budgetary institutions the procedure is even more complicated. There are more complex procedures and when leaving the regulated market, it is necessary to hold tenders and purchases for gas supplies to government agencies. And taking into account all the procedures, they will not be able to supply them with gas even from January 1, not to mention household consumers,” emphasized Victor Parlicov. In his opinion, the promises made about the supply of cheaper gas to Gagauzia by Nord Gaz Furnizare were initially false and cannot be fulfilled, and the purpose of these statements before the elections was to agitate society, get more votes, and also force the authorities to intervene and block them, so that they can justify failure and inability to supply this gas. “Sor wants the central authorities to intervene, block and ban these supplies. But please supply if you can,” said the head of the Ministry of Energy. He once again recalled that in Moldova, more than 20 companies can supply gas on the free market, but they do business, and do not generate only news about gas supplies, do not publish contracts with international traders containing trade secrets, do not sell gas below the purchase price and etc. Victor Parlicov also noted that the Moldovagaz company appealed to NAER and the Competition Council with a request to investigate possible actions of manipulation in the natural gas market, and these structures should speak out on this matter and evaluate compliance with the rules of conduct in the gas market by Nord Gaz Furnizare. // 13.11.2023 — InfoMarket
