Transnistria will not receive the €60 million in financial support offered by the European Union, which was intended to help the region cope with the energy crisis. This was announced on February 10 by Prime Minister Dorin Recean, reports NewsMaker, who clarified that Tiraspol rejected the money due to the conditions attached, particularly the requirement to gradually raise tariffs to market levels. Additionally, Recean believes that Russia is preventing the region from accepting EU assistance.
The Prime Minister wrote on social media that the €60 million from the EU was meant to help Transnistria "free itself from blackmail and address energy instability."
"Tiraspol refused. Russia does not allow them to accept European aid for fear of losing control over the region. The main condition Tiraspol rejected was the gradual increase of consumer tariffs. As a result, they will not receive European aid. This means that the people of Transnistria will continue to live in uncertainty and worry about gas supplies," he emphasized.
At the same time, Recean assured that Chișinău would not leave the Left Bank in distress and would not block gas supplies. According to the Prime Minister, gas will be supplied to Transnistria by the Hungarian company MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG, which will receive money from the Dubai-based company JNX General Trading.
"Both companies have passed an audit and will supply gas to the Moldovan border in accordance with the contract with Moldovagaz," he added.
"We will allow this transit, and Tiraspol will have to take measures to demonstrate openness—release political prisoners, address the school issue in Ribnita, keep the Moldovan public TV channel Moldova 1 in the broadcasting network, and dismantle the checkpoints established in 2022," the Prime Minister stated, adding that the Emergency Commission would meet on February 10 to discuss the details.
"It is important to understand that this is not an agreement between the government of Moldova and Russia; it is a decision to help the people on the Left Bank not freeze. We will continue to make rational and responsible decisions to maintain peace and mutual understanding throughout the country," Recean concluded.
- On February 4, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, and Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean signed an agreement to provide Moldova with €310 million in 2025 to overcome the energy crisis, including in Transnistria. Chișinău has already received €30 million from this amount, and another €100 million is expected to arrive by the end of April.
After February 10, gas to Transnistria will be supplied by the Hungarian company MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG. As Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced, Chișinău will permit the gas transit, and in return, Tiraspol is obligated to "take steps demonstrating openness."
Recean explained that the Hungarian company will deliver gas to the Moldova border. The transit will be paid for by NX General Trading L.L.C, registered in Dubai.
"Both companies have been checked. MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG is a natural gas trader on the European market. No violations of national or international laws were found regarding JNX General Trading L.L.C. Additionally, no Moldovan citizens were identified among the owners of these companies," the Prime Minister listed.
Furthermore, according to Recean, Tiraspol will prepay for the gas transit costs from the Moldovan border to the region based on an agreement between Moldovagaz and Tiraspoltransgaz.
"We will allow this transit, and Tiraspol will take the following steps — release political prisoners, resolve issues with the Lyceum in Ribnita, keep Moldovan public television in its broadcasting network, and dismantle the checkpoints set up in 2022," concluded Recean.
