Moldovan government approves decision to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector

The Moldovan government has approved a decision to impose a state of emergency in the energy sector for 60 days. This was reported by Moldova 1 TV channel on December 11.

It is noted that Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean will go to parliament on December 12 with a request to introduce a state of emergency from December 16.

According to Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebryan, the risks the republic may face this year are more serious than the energy crisis of 2022.

"MGRES (Moldavian State District Power Plant. - Ed.) has coal reserves that can cover Transnistria's electricity consumption only for a period of 30 to 50 days. These reserves are estimated at 69.3 thousand tons, but the quality of the coal stored at the MGRES is unknown," the deputy prime minister added.

Earlier in the day, the supreme council of the unrecognized Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic (TMR) approved the decree of TMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky on the introduction of an economic state of emergency amid uncertainty over Russian gas supplies through Ukraine.

Prior to that, on December 6, Krasnoselsky said during a meeting with members of the DMR Security Council that an economic state of emergency was being introduced in Transnistria due to the current difficult situation in the energy sector. He noted that the full development of the country's economy, in particular, is hindered by external factors, such as military actions in Ukraine and instability in Moldova.

The day before, the Ziarul de Gardă newspaper reported that Recean demanded that Parliament declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. The state of emergency will start on December 16 and will remain in force "until the problematic situation is overcome". Recean also demanded the resignation of Energy Minister Victor Parlicov, as well as the head of the state-owned company Energocom, Victor Bynzar, and a member of the supervisory board of Moldovagaz, Serghei Tofilat.

In November, Serebryan said that a possible cessation of gas supplies to Transnistria by the Russian Federation after the stoppage of Russian gas transit through Ukraine would turn into a humanitarian catastrophe. According to him, such a situation should be avoided by any state. On 22 November, the Moldovan energy minister said that Transnistria might face energy difficulties from 1 January if Russia's Gazprom stops gas supplies.