Chisinau is preparing to nationalize MoldovaGas
Published
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean instructed the preparation of legal regulations for the nationalization of MoldovaGas. Recean reacted to Gazprom's suspension of natural gas supply to Transnistria and justified MoldovaGaz's debt. In addition, Recean stated that law amendments should be made to facilitate the nationalization of national assets.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean instructed for the preparation of the legal framework for the nationalization of MoldovaGas assets. The company's controlling share (50 percent plus a share) belongs to Gazprom.
According to the Interfax agency, Recean stated in his statement at the council of ministerial meeting held today that he was not satisfied with Gazprom's decision to stop supplying natural gas to Transnistria as of January.
Defending that this decision was taken contrary to the agreement with MoldovaGaz and put into practice on the grounds of the company's debt, Recean said, "International audit revealed that there was no such debt. Maybe this money was spent on travel and yachts, but it is unacceptable to put this debt on the backs of Moldovan citizens," he said.
However, Recean emphasized that Moldova has dealt with Russia's energy blackmail before. He instructed the Ministry of Justice to prepare legal regulations that would enable the nationalization of businesses, including strategic areas.
The Prime Minister said, "By the way, these assets were taken from us by force at the time. We must restore these assets to the property of the state," he added.
MoldovaGas joint stock company was founded in 1999. 35.33 percent of the company's shares belong to the Moldovan government, 13.44 percent to the Transnistria's property management committee, and 1.23 percent to minority shareholders.
In the early 2000s, Transnistria authorities transferred their shares to the management of Gazprom. In 2021, Gazprom and MoldovaGaz signed a five-year contract.
One of the terms of the contract was that Moldova paid off its debt. The Russian company evaluates this debt as 709 million dollars.