Moldova To Buy Small Amounts Of Gas Daily To Increase Reserves - Deputy Prime Minister

CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2022) The Moldovan government is going to buy small amounts of gas on a daily basis to fill gas storages, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu said on Monday.

"Everyday Energocom company will announce a tender to buy a small amount of gas and we will most likely purchase (gas) little by little. We want to buy gas now so as to pump it into storages in Romania and Ukraine," Spinu told Pro tv broadcaster.

The deputy prime minister noted that the first tender had already been announced, while the government was also considering buying larger amounts of gas if Gazprom stops its supplies to Moldova.

Moldova needs 500 million cubic meters of gas for winter, the official said.

On October 1, Gazprom blamed Moldova for repeatedly delaying payments for gas supplies, warning that it may terminate the current contract over the country's historic debt.

At the same time, Gazprom confirmed that it would pump 5.7 million cubic meters of gas per day to Moldova in October, as Ukraine keeps rejecting gas transit through the Sokhranivka entry point.

Moldova is experiencing a grave economic and energy crisis because of rising energy prices and soaring inflation. The authorities are making attempts to stock up on firewood, coal and fuel oil. In early August, the Moldovan energy regulator ANRE raised gas tariffs for consumers from 18.62 to 23 Moldovan lei per cubic meter (from $0.96 to $1.2 per 35.3 cubic feet), with the inflation reaching the 20-year record of 33.5% in mid summer.