Moldova Imposes State of Emergency in Energy Sector Due to Threat of Stopping Gas Transit From Russia

On the night of 13 December, the Moldovan parliament voted to introduce a state of emergency that will last for 60 days, starting from 16 December, Reuters reports.

According to ZDG, the decision was approved by the country's government beforehand.

The situation is related to the fact that Moldova receives Russian gas through Ukraine, which does not plan to extend the current transit contract with Russian Gazprom after its expiration on 31 December. This poses a threat to Moldova given its close energy ties with unrecognised Transnistria.

Since 2022, Russian gas coming to Moldova has been fully redirected to Transnistria in accordance with agreements between the central government and the regional authorities. If the gas transit is stopped, the government claims it will lead to a humanitarian crisis and pose risks to the stability of the country's electricity sector.

Additionally, it is noted that Transnistria is home to a Russian gas-fired power plant that provides most of the electricity for the whole of Moldova. Thus, the region and the central government remain interdependent.

The state of emergency, approved by 56 out of 101 members of parliament, gives the government the ability to respond quickly to the situation and restrict energy exports. The initiative to introduce the state of emergency was taken by Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

He said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is seeking to leave the population of Transnistria without gas and electricity, using them as leverage to destabilise Moldova. According to the prime minister, the approval of the emergency is necessary to ensure that ‘this winter will be the last one when our country is subjected to energy blackmail’.

Rechan also noted that the issue of stopping transit through Ukraine is an ‘artificial problem’, as Russian gas can be transported via alternative routes.