Former Moldova's foreign affairs minister Russia rules to infringe commitments, for geopolitical reasons

Chisinau, 31 December /MOLDPRES/ - Russia proves that it does not observe either Moldova or its own contractual obligations, through Gazprom’s decision on ceasing the deliveries of gas as of 1 January. The former Moldova’s foreign affairs minister, Nicu Popescu, has made statements to this effect. He noted that this was not the first crisis faced by Moldova and ’’probably neither the last one, but each crisis reveals who respects Moldova and who doesn’t.’’    

„The things are clear. Russia has a contract signed with Moldova in 2021 for the delivery of gas; yet, it refuses to fulfill its obligations, although it would have the technical possibility to deliver gas, including to the Transnistrian region. For geopolitical reasons, Russia ruled to infringe its commitments, just as it did in 2022, when it unilaterally cut the gas deliveries, ignoring its own contractual obligations,’’ Nicu Popescu wrote.   

Popescu also said that ‘’at present, Russia continues its agenda, refusing the deliveries of gas to the Transnistrian region and pushing this region to a social and economic collapse,’’ the former Moldovan diplomacy head said.  ‘’At the same time, Moldova is again thrown into an energy crisis, just in an electoral year,’’ the former Moldovan diplomacy head said.   

Nicu Popescu opined that, ‘’instead of gas, Moldova receives ‘’millions of cubic metres’’ of fake news and misinformation – stories about cheap gas from the east, insistencies on the recognition of an abusive ‘’debt’’ of 700 million dollars.’’ ‘’In reality, they represent nothing but an attempt to steal another almost one billion from us, Moldova’s citizens, at the expense of a presumed debt, non-confirmed by any independent audit,’’ Nicu Popescu said.    

According to him, ‘’this is not the first crisis faced by Moldova and probably neither the last one.’’ ‘But each crisis reveals who respects Moldova and who doesn’t. In this case, Russia proves that it does not respect either Moldova or its own contractual obligations,’’ Nicu Popescu added.    

Gazprom on 28 December notified the daughter company, which it controls, Moldovagaz, that it would no longer deliver natural gas as of 1 January 2025, 08:00, (Moscow time).