Veaceslav Ionita: Moldova pays 45% more for gas than the EU average

Economist Veaceslav Ionita noted that in the first half of 2023, the average price of natural gas imported to Moldova will amount to 805 USD/1,000 cubic meters, which is 45% or 255 USD/1,000 cubic meters higher than the European average. According to him, since 2010, Moldova has been paying a price more or less close to the average European price. Since 2021, even after changing the formula for calculating the price of natural gas imports to Moldova’s detriment, the price we used to pay was lower than the European average for two years. But during two last consequent quarters, the average price we pay is higher than the European average price, which accordingly affects the mean for the first half of 2023. “But if you take the average for the last 2.5 years, which have been impactful for the natural gas market, the price we pay is still below the European average price. Thus, over the last 2.5 years Moldova paid a weighted average price of 570 USD/1,000 cubic meters, while the average European price during this period was 880 USD/1,000 cubic meters,” Veaceslav Ionita states.