Progressive discount: Dodon announced a preferential price for Russian gas for Moldova

The price of Russian gas supplied to Moldova will begin to decline starting from October 1, 2019. This was stated by President of the Republic Igor Dodon. According to him, by April 2020, the discount on blue fuel from the Russian Federation could reach $ 70 per 1,000 cubic meters.

“We agreed that from October 1, the discount will be $ 10-15,” said Dodon, commenting on the results of negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to him, since 2020, the cost of Russian gas may become $ 45-50 cheaper, and from April 1 - $ 70. Dodon added that the reduction depends on the mechanism that should be agreed between Moldovagaz and Gazprom. This will make it possible not to raise energy prices for the population. At the same time, the Moldovan leader emphasized that next year, gas prices in Europe, on the contrary, will increase.

Moldova is currently acquiring Russian gas at a price of $ 235 per 1,000 cubic meters. m

Dodon also noted that in 2020 the country will not be left without fuel supplies, even if the transit issue between Russia and Ukraine is not resolved. Recall that the current gas transit agreement between Kiev and Moscow expires at the end of 2019.

“The reverse is discussed, the possibility of purchasing gas now and its storage. We have three options, which makes me confident that we will provide the population with gas after January 1, 2020, ”Dodon explained.

On Saturday, September 7, the President of Moldova announced the October fall in gas prices from Russia after negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Later, the spokesman for the head of state, Dmitry Peskov, added that the parties will continue to coordinate with experts.

“Relations are built on a mutually beneficial basis”

Igor Dodon is a consistent critic of rash European integration, said Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts at RUDN University.

“He perfectly understands that Moldova, which signed the Association Agreement with the European Union even earlier than Ukraine, from the economic point of view did not receive anything from Europe. Obviously, Dodon is trying to systematically restore the processes that Moldova previously had with large Russian geo-economic projects, ”the expert explained in an interview with RT.

Speaking about the provision of discounts, he emphasized that Russia always goes towards the states in such matters in the absence of a negative agenda on the reverse side.

“Dodon is a person who defends the Moldovan position, but takes a constructive economic position regarding reliance on Russia and its market. This can become the foundation in order to restore our relations and bring them to the former level of partnership, ”added Danyuk.

• Handshake of the Presidents of Moldova and Russia
• RIA News
• © Alexey Nikolsky

In turn, Vladimir Olenchenko, a researcher at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, urged Moscow not to perceive the actions to reduce gas prices as altruism.

“We are building relations with neighbors and other countries on a mutually beneficial basis, aimed at maintaining normal relations. Against this background, some special approaches to energy pricing are justified, ”RT said.

Ukrainian "council"

The topic of providing Russia with gas discounts for Moldova was also commented on in Ukraine. The state-owned company NAK Naftogaz invited Chisinau to take the “European” route and purchase fuel from Slovakia in transit through Ukraine, which is supposedly more economically feasible.

“Five years ago, we proved to ourselves, to Europe, and Russia that it is possible to provide the country with gas without Gazprom, without politics, and even save on this. Today, Moldova can take advantage of the opportunities for which we fought so hard in 2014-2015, ”the report said.

At the same time, back in June, Ukrainian Ukrtransgaz offered the republic to use the gas transportation system of Ukraine to purchase fuel from the EU and “guarantee the security of gas supplies to Moldovan consumers”.

It is worth noting that Ukrtransgaz itself has accumulated a substantial debt for gas to European partners. In July, the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET) sent a letter to Kiev. There, the Ukrainian side was predicted to “collapse of confidence” due to debts and the risk of destruction of the gas transportation system due to the suspension of commercial supplies.

“Either Naftogaz is a troll of Moldovan partners, or there are very big problems with mathematics, logic and economics. In the current situation, Ukraine overpays about 28% of the cost of gas, which allegedly comes from Europe. Ukraine has never gone anywhere from Russian gas, because what it takes from the reverse is the same Russian gas, ”said Nikita Danyuk, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts of the RUDN University, to RT.

“In order not to go down the same path, Moldova, I think, wants to get Russian gas, at the same time on fairly favorable terms. When they say that the European reverse or any other alternative source of gas is cheaper than the Russian one, it’s absolutely gang propaganda, it’s just a blatant lie, ”he added.

Vladimir Olenchenko, a researcher at the Center for European Studies at the IMEMO RAS, also pointed to “cunning and hypocrisy” by Naftogaz.

“Their statement only means that Naftogaz is interested in making money on it. The cunning thing is that the decision of the Moldovan leadership to build normal relations weakens the position of Naftogaz, which proves to everyone that supposedly Russia and Gazprom are aggressive structures that prevent other people from living normally. The hypocrisy is that the gas that they buy in Slovakia comes through the transport artery from Russia, ”the analyst said.