Strike gas: Transnistria counts on Russia to resolve gas crisis
Tiraspol is in constant dialog with Russia over the energy crisis, the Transnistrian Foreign Ministry told Izvestiya. They expect that interaction with Moscow will lead to practical results. In addition, the unrecognized republic is ready for an open dialogue with Chisinau. Earlier the DMR has already appealed to Moldova with a request to solve the energy issue jointly with Moscow and Kiev, but no concrete actions were taken there. How critical is the current situation in Transnistria and how the dialog between Tiraspol and Chisinau will develop - in the material of "Izvestia".
Energy crisis in Transnistria
Transnistria is in constant dialog with Russia in connection with the energy crisis after the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry of the unrecognized republic told Izvestia.
- We are in constant dialog with the Russian Federation at all levels, including specialized structures. The Russian side has been informed in detail about the current crisis situation. We expect that our interaction on this issue will lead to practical results for the benefit of the people, " the Foreign Ministry said.
Transnistria faced a crisis after the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine on January 1. As early as on December 11, the unrecognized republic was placed in an economic state of emergency for a month. On January 10, the DMR Supreme Council voted to extend the state of emergency until February 8. In addition, on January 3, Transnistria began to introduce fanning power cuts twice a day for four hours.
The DMR received gas from Russia to operate the Moldavskaya TPP, which supplied the entire republic with electricity and covered up to 80% of Moldova's electricity needs. On January 1, the GRES switched from gas to coal to generate electricity, which, however, only temporarily solves the energy problem, as its coal reserves will last until mid-February at the latest.
Immediately after the stoppage of Ukrainian transit, more than 1.5 thousand high-rise buildings were left without heating and hot water, and more than 70 thousand private homes were left without gas. Heating was also cut off in 131 schools and 147 kindergartens. Almost all industrial enterprises, except for foodstuffs, have stopped working. On January 8, the first deputy prime minister and minister of economic development of the unrecognized republic, Sergei Obolonik, said that the gas reserve for the daily needs of the population would be enough only for 24 days.
At the moment, a real humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Transnistria.
- Solutions are being worked out to make these schedules (fan shutdowns - Ed.) more comfortable for the population and to restart at least some of the enterprises. However, the situation in Transnistria remains extremely difficult, given the winter period and the lack of work of factories," the Foreign Ministry emphasized.
The Kremlin also called the situation in Transnistria a crisis.
- For many years Russia has been supplying natural gas, at the expense of which, in fact, Transnistria lived. And now Transnistria has been deprived of this opportunity because of the decisions of Ukraine and the Moldovan authorities. The situation is indeed a crisis," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
If the gas blockade is not lifted in the near future, Transnistria will suffer a complete economic and financial fiasco, Alena Arshinova, a member of the Russian State Duma and chairwoman of the Eurasia Council, told Izvestia.
- People will start leaving their homeland in search of heat, light and work. Western curators of Moldova and Ukraine understand this perfectly well. They are building a scenario of strangling the DMR, and Sandu and Zelensky fulfill their will. The Russophobia of official Chisinau and Kiev allows them to overstep the elementary norms of humanitarian law and ordinary Christian humanity," she said.
The aggravation of relations between Tiraspol and Chisinau
Gas supplies to the DMR stopped not only because of Ukraine's refusal to provide transit. On December 28, Gazprom announced that it was stopping supplies of blue fuel to Moldova because Moldovagaz, with which the Russian concern has a contract until October 2026, "regularly fails to fulfill its payment obligations".
As a result, Russian gas stopped flowing to Moldova. Thus, even before the termination of transit, late last year, Chisinau introduced a state of emergency in the energy sector and switched to purchasing electricity from Romania, and at twice the previous price. In addition, the Moldovan company Energocom additionally purchases electricity from Ukraine. The European Commission is working with the Moldovan authorities to mitigate the energy situation.
- "The Commission has set up a working group with Moldova to help them resolve current problems and has facilitated exchanges with EU grid operators to ensure that more electricity can flow from the EU to Moldova when needed," the European Commission told Izvestia.
In early January, Moldova announced a doubling of electricity and heat prices. However, if Chisinau suffers more economically, Transnistria right now is experiencing an elementary shortage of gas. Even before the transit was cut off, Tiraspol appealed to Chisinau with a request to solve this problem together with Moscow and Kiev. But instead of taking any action, the Moldovan side sent an insulting address to Tiraspol, eliminating itself from substantive work, the TMR Foreign Ministry emphasized.
- Despite the destructive position of Moldova, we, for our part, are certainly open to dialog. The most important thing now is to find solutions that would protect people's interests," the Foreign Ministry said.
Chisinau, on the other hand, claims that back in December they offered Tiraspol help in buying gas in Europe, but the DMR authorities refused this option.
- They explain their refusal by the fact that they are still waiting for the resumption of natural gas supplies from Gazprom and advise us to continue negotiations with Gazprom. I think that they should realize that if the supplies from Gazprom are not restored, the only way out is to buy gas on the stock markets, for which they will have to pay," Vadim Ceban, the acting head of Moldovagaz, said earlier.
Tiraspol still considers Russia as the main potential gas supplier. It can come to the republic, for example, through Turkey and the Balkans.
- All Transnistrians realize that Russia is a real ally and partner and will not abandon us. Everyone [in Transnistria] understands that Russia is likely to make serious attempts to supply Transnistria with gas," Andrei Safonov, a deputy of the TMR Supreme Council, told Izvestia.
When discussing options for gas supplies to Moldova in the fall of 2024, Moscow and Chisinau considered as one of the options the reverse through the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, which passes through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria. However, Chisinau's failure to fulfill its obligations to Gazprom, as well as its unwillingness to engage in dialog at the moment, rules out this option.
A number of experts believe that as a result of the energy crisis, the tension between Chisinau and Tiraspol may intensify and lead to conflict.
Nevertheless, there is another option: the current situation with gas may in the long run still contribute to some human and political unity between Tiraspol and Chisinau, political scientist Oleg Bondarenko tells Izvestia. However, the energy crisis can only be overcome in partnership with Moscow, says Alena Arshinova.
- The steps towards this are clear: Moldova should hold constructive negotiations with Gazprom and Ukraine should lift the ban on gas transit. Everything is clear and substantive. As soon as these steps are taken, the situation will change completely. Heat will come on, power supply will stabilize, enterprises will resume their work, schoolchildren will return to schools. For this purpose, it is enough to show good will, overcome Russophobia and think about the people suffering because of the adventurous policy of the Sandu-Zelensky tandem," she said.
In addition, she emphasized that the ANO "Eurasia" considers options for humanitarian support of the DMR residents.
