Chisinau mayor criticized Moldovan authorities over electricity price hikes

The actions of the Moldovan authorities have caused an increase in the cost of public utilities in the country. This was stated by Chisinau Mayor Ion Ceban on January 2.

"Because of their ineptitude [the authorities], people will have to pay more than twice as much for electricity. This is a colossal pressure both on citizens, local authorities and economic agents. As a consequence, prices for other services and products will rise," he wrote in his Telegram channel.

Ceban noted that the lack of preventive measures from the authorities of the country was the reason for the increase in tariffs. He said that "the municipality will cope", but funding for road repairs, schools, as well as social projects will suffer.

The end of the world: Moldova and Transnistria prepare for the biggest energy crisis

Chisinau and Tiraspol declared a state of emergency

Earlier in the day it was reported that centralized heating was cut off in Transnistria after Gazprom stopped supplying Russian gas via Ukraine. Gas stopped flowing also to Moldova because of the country's unpaid debts. For his part, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean did not recognize the debt and threatened to sue.

At the same time, it became known that the Moldavian TPP switched to the use of coal in connection with the cessation of gas supplies from Russia.

According to energy expert Sergei Ungureanu, Moldova has a difficult situation in the energy sector, and the purchase of electricity from Europe will hit the country's economy.

"Gazprom and Moldovagaz signed a five-year contract for gas supplies in the fall of 2021. It provided for Chisinau to pay the debt for supplies in the past few years. The entire volume was estimated at $709 million, of which Chisinau officially recognizes only $8.6 million.