Moldova admits that Chisinau and Tiraspol will reach an agreement on gas in February

Moldovan authorities and the Transnistrian leadership may find in February a mechanism to start overcoming the energy crisis, Octavian Kalmyk, former head of the Moldovan economy ministry, said on January 27.

"I think in this dialog on gas, the truth is somewhere in the middle. At the beginning of February, they will surely find some mechanism that will be mutually beneficial," he said on the air of the TV channel First in Moldova, the recording of which is posted on its YouTube channel.

Kalmyk expressed the opinion that the Transnistrian authorities are likely to agree to the first part of Chisinau's proposal - technical assistance in the form of 3 million cubic meters of gas to ensure pressure in the pipelines.

At the same time, he said that the proposal to share the €30 million allocated by the European Union to overcome the crisis would not suit Tiraspol. Kalmyk pointed out that Transnistria is not involved in the process of using the Brussels grants.

Gas mask phase: energy crisis worsens in Transnistria

Chisinau blocks fuel supplies to the republic

Earlier in the day, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that Chisinau would provide the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic with 3 million cubic meters of gas on loan. The second phase of support is scheduled for February 1-10 and includes a €30 million grant from the EU to buy natural gas at an anti-crisis price to convert it into electricity. The plan will be finalized over the next two weeks.

The day before, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebryan said that in 10-15 days all gas and coal reserves will run out in the DMR, and the energy crisis there will reach a catastrophic level.

On January 24, Transnistria's head Vadym Krasnoselsky said that the situation against the background of the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine remains grave. He appealed to the UN and asked for help to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. On the same day, DMR residents went to rallies against the cessation of Russian gas supplies.

Gas supplies from Russia to Moldova and Transnistria stopped on January 1 due to Ukraine 's refusal to extend the agreement on transit through its territory and debts of the Moldovan side to Gazprom. In mid-January, it became known that Russia was ready to provide assistance to the DMR and start humanitarian gas supplies.