Transnistria prepared for heating cutoff from January 1

The minister of economic development of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (TMR), Serghei Obolonik, said that after the centralized heating is switched off on January 1, gas for cooking will be available in multi-storey houses and the supply of light will be maintained. He stated on December 23.

"It is technically possible to deliver gas to Transnistria. We hope that a solution will be found. There is a big humanitarian problem on the scale," the official port of the TMR economic development ministry quotes Obolonik as saying.

According to him, the republic's residents will be provided with gas, light and heating on New Year's Eve. Obolonik said that Transnistria will be provided with food and water supply without hot water.

According to the head of the Ministry of Economic Development, if the gas supply is cut off from January 1, the Moldavskaya TPP will start creating electricity using coal, which will be enough for 50 days. Obolonik said that the transfer from gas to coal-fired generation will be carried out in a normal mode and without interruption of electricity supply. He also said that the population, hospitals, catering enterprises and other social facilities will be provided with electricity.

Obolonik noted that the volume of gas for hospitals and food preparation in multi-storey houses in the south of the republic will be enough for about 20 days, for the north - up to 10 days. According to him, the main medical institutions will be provided with heat. For his part, Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said that the republic is ready for winter and has the resources to support Moldova if necessary.

Gas for that: Moldavia expects protests after transit through Ukraine is cut off

With whom Chisinau will have to negotiate now

Earlier, on December 13, Moldova imposes a state of emergency (state of emergency) from December 16 because of the threat of a humanitarian crisis due to the possible termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.

Earlier, on December 11, the supreme council of the unrecognized Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic (TMR) approved a decree by TMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky on the introduction of a state of economic 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 Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean demanded that Parliament declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. It will be effective from December 16 and will remain in force "until the problematic situation is overcome". In addition, Recean 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, Sergei Tofilat.

In November, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Oleg 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.