Emergency message: state of emergency will be extended in Transnistria due to the energy crisis

The energy situation in Transnistria is unstable, and there is not enough gas to restart the work of industrial enterprises, Chairman of the Supreme Council Alexander Korshunov told Izvestia. Against this background, Tiraspol intends to extend the state of emergency in the economy until the situation with the supply of natural gas returns to normal, he stressed. Preparations for the heating season have already begun in the unrecognized republic: the installation of boilers in social institutions will begin soon. The Elektromash plant has started producing boilers that run on firewood and coal. Whether Pridnestrovie will be able to overcome the crisis and how the Russian Federation can help is in the Izvestia article.

Extension of the State of emergency in Transnistria

Pridnestrovie intends to extend the state of emergency in the economy until the situation with gas supplies normalizes, Chairman of the Supreme Council Alexander Korshunov told Izvestia.

— The state of emergency in the economy is set until June 8. A decision on the re-introduction of a special legal regime must be made before this date. Given the difficult economic situation, idle enterprises and empty coffers, it is likely that a decision will be made to act as an emergency in the economy until the situation with gas supplies to Transnistria normalizes," he said.

The economic emergency regime has been in effect in the PMR since December 11, 2024. During the last heating season, a humanitarian disaster was recorded in the unrecognized republic. More than 1.5 thousand high—rise buildings were left without heat and hot water, and more than 70 thousand houses were left without gas. Schools and kindergartens were operating without heating.

Almost all industrial enterprises, except food enterprises, have also stopped working. Most of the plants belong to heavy industry, including mechanical engineering, metallurgy and electric power industry. At the same time, the economy of Transnistria depends more on their work.

Despite the end of the heating season, the energy situation in the PMR is still unstable, there is not enough natural gas to resume the work of industrial enterprises, Alexander Korshunov added. But the Transnistrian authorities retain salaries, pensions and benefits for local residents. Accordingly, due to this, funds are not being received for many programs for the development of the PMR.

— In such conditions, there is not even a question about development programs for which financial resources were provided in the law "On the Republican Budget for 2025". All the money available in the budget is allocated for social benefits. Educational and social programs are funded to a minimum," the Speaker of the Parliament added.

Despite the fact that the heating season has recently ended, preparations for the next one are already underway in the unrecognized republic. The Tiraspol plant Elektromash has started production of heating boilers that run on firewood and coal. The president of the self-proclaimed republic, Vadim Krasnoselsky, instructed the government to install solid fuel boilers in social institutions so that they receive heat regardless of the volume of gas. Some enterprises have started installing solar panels to generate electricity.

— It is possible to negotiate, truth or falsehood, officially and unofficially, to replenish coal reserves. The main thing now is that gas supplies are coming. And they will go in winter too. Therefore, I think that the next heating season will be simpler. Simply because this crisis regime has already been tested," Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, tells Izvestia.

After the termination of gas transit in the PMR, coal was used for the operation of the local GRES for the first time.

Machines of former luxury: Transnistrian factories are idle due to lack of gas

The European Union is not coping with the resolution of the energy crisis in the unrecognized republic

Why did the energy crisis in Transnistria begin?

The energy collapse in Transnistria began after the termination of the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine on January 1. Through this gas pipeline, Tiraspol received gas from the Russian Federation for the operation of the Moldovan GRES, which provided the entire republic with electricity, as well as covered up to 80% of Moldova's needs for this resource.

An important point: gas supplies to the PMR stopped not only because of Ukraine's refusal to provide transit. On December 28, Gazprom announced that it was ceasing to supply fuel to Moldova due to debts owed to the company. Chisinau refused to recognize the debt.

From February 1 to February 10, Pridnestrovie received gas through Moldova from an emergency EU grant. In general, the union was ready to continue helping with blue fuel, but with a number of conditions that related to the observance of rights and freedoms in the PMR. Against this background, Tiraspol refused to help.

Currently, Tiraspol receives gas from Hungarian traders through a loan provided by Russia. However, there are difficulties here: the gas pipeline passes through Moldova, so the PMR is completely dependent on Chisinau in the energy issue. The latter, in turn, allowed the transit of natural gas under certain conditions. Among them: the release of people whom Moldova considers political prisoners, the preservation of public television in the broadcast network and the removal of checkpoints.

However, not enough gas reaches the PMR anyway, Chisinau partially blocks its supplies. It was reported that Moldova would tax the supply of blue fuel altogether if, for example, it fixed that industrial enterprises of the unrecognized republic would use it.

Accordingly, Chisinau officially passes only those volumes of gas that will be enough for ordinary consumers, says Igor Yushkov.

— In Moldova, they threatened that if industrial enterprises were launched, they would allegedly cut off supplies altogether. But I think that in fact they were able to reach an agreement at the local level, and there is more gas than just for the population," the expert believes.

Stop plan: the risk of humanitarian catastrophe remains in Transnistria

Who is slowing down the resolution of the crisis and when the situation may stabilize

When will the energy crisis in Transnistria end?

A complete end to the energy crisis in Transnistria is possible only if EU restrictions are lifted or relations between Russia and Moldova are settled, Pavel Maryshev, an expert in the oil and gas industry, sustainable development and energy, tells Izvestia.

The EU countries adhere to a policy aimed at refusing to purchase Russian gas. At the same time, they could not introduce a complete ban on the purchase of our blue fuel. In May 2025, the European Commission proposed banning purchases of Russian gas by the end of 2027.

In 2023, Moldova announced that it had stopped buying Russian gas directly from Gazprom and had turned to the services of European suppliers.

— This is a direct political bargaining. That is, there is a technical possibility to get gas. But there is no strong—willed decision on the part of Moldova, which implements the package of restrictions of the European Union," the expert says.

There is, of course, another option: Transnistria will make all possible concessions for Moldova and join their "political channel". But since this has not happened in so many years, this scenario is extremely unlikely, the expert concluded.

Chisinau clearly benefits from creating an economic crisis in the PMR. As proof: Moldova has been hindering the export of Pridnestrovian products for several years. The lack of economic independence may eventually lead to the rejection of the unrecognized republic from the course of independence. Moldova has been moving towards European integration for several years, so it is rather trying to resolve the territorial issue through pressure.

At the same time, Chisinau does not make contact with Tiraspol, despite the fact that the latter has such a request. The Transnistrian authorities are determined to settle relations with Moldova through peaceful dialogue. So far, Tiraspol sees no interest on the part of Chisinau in resuming dialogue, says Chairman of the Supreme Council Alexander Korshunov.