EU Urges Moldova’s Separatist pro-Russian Region of Transnistria to Accept Energy and Humanitarian Aid

The European Commission has said that the authorities in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria should stop restricting the supply of alternative energy sources to overcome the consequences of Russia's Gazprom decision to cut off natural gas supplies, EU spokesperson Anitta Hipper said.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Transnistria were left without heating and hot water after Russian state energy company Gazprom stopped exporting gas to the region on 1 January, when a long-term gas transit agreement through neighbouring Ukraine expired.

‘When it comes to Moldova and Gazprom's decision to stop gas supplies, we understand that the Moldovan government has already offered energy and humanitarian assistance to Transnistria, which has not yet been accepted,’ said Anita Hipper, the Commission's spokesperson for foreign affairs.

She added that the EU is in constant contact with the Moldovan government to help it address the current challenges.

She stressed that the work is building on the support that Moldova has already received from the EU over the past few years. In 2022, Moldova, together with Ukraine, synchronised its electricity system with the EU's electricity networks, which allowed for an increase in electricity supply capacity to Moldova in early December last year. At the end of December, an agreement was also signed under which Moldova can receive electricity from Ukraine.

‘Since 2022, Moldova's gas reserves have been exclusively sourced from the EU gas market, and this covers its gas needs. Therefore, our contacts with the Moldovan authorities remain strong at both the political and technical levels. We hope to find solutions that will cover the entire territory of Moldova, so that there are no more blackouts or the need to declare a state of emergency, as happened at the end of last year, to avoid such situations on the eve of the coldest months,’ said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the European Commission spokesperson.

According to the spokesperson, the European Commission is facilitating cooperation between European power grid operators and the Energy Community secretariat so that Moldova can receive more electricity if necessary. At the same time, the European Commission called on all member states to demonstrate solidarity with Moldova in this difficult situation.

As a reminder, on 28 December, Russian Gazprom announced that it would stop supplying gas to Moldova because of alleged ‘debts’ that are not recognised by the Moldovan government, as they were ‘formed’ mainly through uncoordinated supplies of Russian gas to unrecognised Transnistria.

On 16 December, Moldova introduced a state of emergency in the energy sector. 

On 31 December, the Ministry of Energy of Moldova announced that in January 2025, Moldova would import most of its electricity from neighbouring Romania, with 30% coming from local thermal power plants. From 1 January 2025, the Moldovan SDPP will switch to coal-fired power generation.

On 1 January, in unrecognised pro-Russian Transnistria, Tiraspol Transgaz-Prydnistria warned consumers of gas cut-offs in boiler houses, private sector and flat buildings with autonomous heating due to the cessation of Russian gas supplies, while the authorities in Transnistria declared a state of emergency.

The self-proclaimed pro-Russian Transnistria did not take advantage of Moldova's offer to purchase gas from Europe. Local authorities hope to resume supplies from Russia's Gazprom. The interim head of Moldovagaz, Vadim Cheban, told the media that the Transnistrian authorities rejected the offer, allegedly because it involved purchasing gas at ‘higher and more unstable’ prices.