Tofan on Sharp Gas Price Increase in Moldova: “The Market Is the Market”

Incoming Prime Minister Vasile Tofan believes that the decision to sharply increase the natural gas tariff was driven by market conditions. Journalist Anatolie Golea disclosed this after personally asking Tofan whether he felt he was being “set up” by the tariff hike on the eve of the formation of the new government. “We had consultations with several journalists, and I asked Mr. Tofan: ‘Do you feel that this decision is setting you up?’ He answered that he did not. He said: ‘The market is the market. Prices have gone up, so this had to be done,” Golea recounted. According to the journalist, Tofan indicated that he views the gas price increase as an unavoidable measure dictated by market developments. The natural gas tariff is expected to increase to 21 lei per cubic meter.