Sandu: I Don’t Think the President’s Participation Would Reduce the Gas Price

Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the government of the republic will not join the negotiations on a new contract for the supply of Russian gas, as ex-President Igor Dodon did. "According to the law, the negotiations are conducted by the Moldovagaz company. We are waiting for the results. <...> I do not think that the participation of the government or the president would reduce the price of gas, the cost depends on prices on the world market," Sandu replied on Monday to a journalist's question during an interview with TV8, tass.ru reports. Moldovagaz representatives are discussing a new contract for the supply of Russian gas with Gazprom, since the current agreement expires at the end of September. Earlier, the first persons of Moldova were involved in these negotiations. So, following the visit to Moscow in 2019, ex-Prime Minister Ion Chicu and Dodon managed to achieve a significant discount on gas. At the end of 2020, the average annual purchase price of Russian gas for Moldova amounted to $ 148.87 per thousand cubic meters, including transportation costs to the border. Gazprom and Moldovagaz signed a mid-term contract in December 2006. According to the formula stipulated in the contract, the purchase price for gas for Moldova changes taking into account the dynamics of prices for oil products. Since 2012, the contract has been regularly renewed. "Moldovagaz" is a joint Moldovan-Russian joint-stock company, 50% of shares in it belong to Gazprom, 35% - to the government of Moldova, 13% - to the administration of the unrecognized Transnistria.