Head of "Moldovagaz": Natural gas prices will rise

The Russian gas giant Gazprom and its subsidiary Moldovagaz JSC are preparing a new contract for the gas supply to Moldova, which provides for an increased price for natural gas. Vadim Ceban, head of the board of JSC "Moldovagaz", stated it on the air of the NTS TV channel, omg.md reports. “I don’t want to scare anyone, but there will be a correction towards an increase in prices. I am now speaking here as a manager of the company," Cheban said, adding "we analyze the market every day." Although earlier, when prices on gas exchanges were 4-5 times lower than the price of gas for Moldova, Ceban repeatedly stated that the Moldovan contract with Gazprom is not tied to prices on exchanges, this time Ceban referred to “the situation on the market" and "prices on exchanges". “This is the situation on the market this year. There was a decrease, now there is an increase. The prices on the exchanges do not depend on the political cycle that takes place in the Republic of Moldova,” added Ceban, refusing to announce the planned gas prices for Moldova. Natural gas supplies to Moldova are carried out on the basis of the concluded December 30, 2020 Additions №15 to the Contract on December 29, 2006. This document is valid until September 30, 2021. In 2019, the average annual gas price was $ 233 per 1,000 cubic meters. In 2020, the average annual gas price was $ 148.8 per 1,000 cubic meters. Despite this, Moldovan gas consumers are forced to pay almost $ 260 (4642 lei) per 1,000 cubic meters.