MOLDPRES RUNNING COMMENTARY/ Moldovan leadership pays visit to Varnita; Local residents say they make sure who do not leave their own citizens in need

Chisinau, 9 January /MOLDPRES/ - The Varnita village from the eastern Anenii Noi district is placed in the immediate neighbourhood of the so-called Moldovan Dnestrian republic (rmn) – an area which is not controlled by the constitutional authorities of Moldova. On 29 December 2024 evening, the public institutions from the settlement were disconnected from the gas network by the Tiraspol breakaway authorities. Subsequently, on the first day of the New Year, 2025, they were fully disconnected.        

For the winter holiday’s period, the Moldovan government did its utmost to maintain the stability in the zone and today, when the country fully returned to work after the Christmas vacation, President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean moved to the settlements affected, with the Varnita village being the first on the agenda.   

The visit to Varnita started with a meeting at the village mayoralty. The sides discussed here the actions already undertaken by the authorities, as well as those which are to be implemented, in order to ensure the access to electric energy and natural gas. ‘’The Varnita village is among the worst hit. Some people had energy from Moldova, the others from the Transnistrian region. We are positioned geographically in such a way, as long time ago, the Varnita village was part of the Bender, Tighina, city,’’ the mayor of the Varnita village, Alexandr Nichitenco, said.   

Or, namely the Varnita village, just as the Copanca village from the Causeni district, which is in a similar situation, under the decision of the Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE) from 6 January 2025, are to be connected to the power distribution networks of the State Capital Enterprise, Premier Energy Distribution stock company.  

The operator will ensure the construction of new lines up to these villages, while the Reintegration Policies Bureau will discuss the options of interconnection with the distribution networks which belong to the electric energy distribution company from Tiraspol.  

President Maia Sandu: In the next weeks, more settlements, including Varnita, will be connected to the electric energy networks from the right bank of Dniester. The works of connection to the gas networks will last several months. Meanwhile, the mayors will submit to the central authorities the needs of wood and pellets for the households and public buildings. Also, the head of state noted that projects would be elaborated for more schools and kindergartens of the affected area, for their provision with heating stations working on biomass. The government has already taken concrete measures, in order to reduce the impact of the crisis. In Varnita, generators were distributed, which will ensure the work of the kindergarten, lyceum and social centres. We stay with our citizens, in order to overcome this crisis.  

The Moldovan authorities stay available to provide wood, pellets, generators and food products to settlements from the Transnistrian region and those in the perimeter of the Security Zone, affected by the energy crisis. The government also works on projects for setting stations working on biomass, which would provide energy autonomy to public institutions, including schools, hospitals and kindergartens.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean: Ever since the starting of the crisis, the Moldovan authorities had proposed to organize procurements for buying gas on behalf of the Transnistrian side, but they were refused. ‘’Tiraspol is not autonomous in the decisions it is taking. This crisis is induced by Russia, in order to destabilize Moldova and to use Moldova in Russia’s war against Ukraine.’’

Also today, head of state Maia Sandu, PM Dorin Recean and Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian went to the Romanita kindergarten Varnita Theoretical Lyceum and Asclepio multifunctional community centre – institutions to which the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations delivered electric generators.   

The officials discussed with the managers of the institutions, who assured that they did their utmost to keep the situation under control and to continue the education process. ‘’For the time being, we have everything we need, the children are in the best conditions. Certainly, we save, but, in fact, the economy is at the basis of any well-being,’’ they told MOLDPRES.   

Also, more local residents, interviewed by MOLDPRES, said that, as late as now, they made sure who do not leave them in need (allusion to an old slogan of the Kremlin - наших не бросаем – we do not leave our people).  

Varnita is a village from the Anenii Noi district with an area of about 4.31 square km, with a perimeter of 11.22 km. The Varnita village is placed on the right bank of Dniester, not far from the Bender city. The total length of the roads is of 54.2 km. The Varnita village is 35 km far from Anenii Noi and 67 km far from Chisinau.   

From Varnita: Correspondent Lilia Grubii; Photo reporter Mihai Vengher