The Russian giant Gazprom announced that will stop supplying gas to Moldova starting from January 1stin the context of a financial dispute with the former Soviet republic which has just re-elected a pro-European president. “Gazprom will reduce natural gas deliveries to the Republic of Moldova to zero cubic meters per day, starting January 1, 2025 at 05:00 GMT,” Gazprom said in a statement. The decision is “linked to the refusal of the Moldovan side to pay its debts”, specifies the Russian group, which “reserves the right” to decide on other actions, including that of terminating the gas contract with Moldova, a country among the poorest in Europe.
The announcement comes in a context of fibrillation in Eastern Europe. Kiev has in fact announced its intention not to renew until December 31st the contract that binds it to Russia for the transport of Russian gas to Europe through its extensive network of gas pipelines. A decision that will affect Slovakia, Moldova and to a lesser extent Hungary, which are very dependent on gas imports from Moscow. Added to this, Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, was sworn in at the end of December for a second term, after an election overshadowed by accusations of Moscow’s interference in the former Soviet republic. The Moldovan Parliament had approved the establishment of the State of Emergency for a period of 60 days, starting from December 16, in anticipation of the expected interruption of Russian gas supplies. Achieving energy security is a priority for this former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants, a candidate for EU membership, plunged into a serious crisis after the launch of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The Kremlin is demanding payment of a debt of around 700 million dollars (667 million euros), not recognized by the Moldovan authorities. This dispute over the debt of the Russian-Moldavian company Moldovagaz dates back to before the start of the war in Ukraine and stems from a price hike decided by Moscow in 2021.
