The authorities of Transnistria and Moldova agreed on January 30 on a preliminary gas supply scheme for the unrecognized region in February, dividing the EU grant of €30 million, writes «Kommersant» citing informed sources. With the allocated funds, Transnistria plans to purchase about 3.2 million cubic meters of gas per day from February 1 to 10. The fuel will be purchased on the European market by the Moldovan state company Energocom and supplied to the left bank of the Dniester through «Moldovagaz». Chisinau will continue to purchase electricity on the spot market with its part of the grant.
Meanwhile, from February 11, as the publication's interlocutors suggest, the region will most likely switch to supplies through Hungarian traders with funds provided by Russia as a loan to Tiraspol, as previously reported by the head of the unrecognized republic, Vadim Krasnoselsky.
The European Commission announced the allocation of 30 million euros to Moldova for the purchase and transportation of gas to Transnistria on January 27, noting that the gas purchased with the grant should be delivered to the unrecognized republic to «help restore electricity and heating for more than 350,000 residents of the region», as well as to resume electricity supplies from the left bank of the Dniester to the right.
The European Commission clarified that after February 10, another package will follow, «aimed at mitigating the immediate social consequences of the crisis for the citizens of Moldova and helping to strengthen the energy independence and resilience of the Republic of Moldova».
On January 1, Russia stopped gas transit through Ukraine due to the expiration of the contract between «Gazprom» and the Ukrainian «Naftogaz». The decision by «Gazprom» primarily affected Transnistria, as Moldova had previously found alternative supplies. On January 2, almost all industrial enterprises in Transnistria, except for food ones, stopped working due to the cessation of gas supplies and the resulting energy deficit. Heating and hot water were also turned off. On January 5, water supply disruptions began, leaving several villages and districts of the Transnistrian capital Tiraspol without water.