Dorin Risin, Prime Minister of Moldova, speaks during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on Friday, September 27, 2024.
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Moldova's parliament voted on Friday to approve a 60-day state of emergency, citing fears of a direct threat to the security of its citizens ahead of the expected cessation of Russian gas flows.
Russian gas is currently reaching Moldova, a landlocked country located in the northeastern corner of the Balkan region in Europe, via its neighbor Ukraine.
but, Gas transportation deal The contract between Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz is scheduled to expire on December 31, and Kiev has repeatedly said it has no intention of extending the contract.
56 deputies in the 101-seat Moldova Parliament are participating in the elections Vote In favor of a nationwide state of emergency, which the government said would allow the country to implement a series of measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of insufficient energy resources.
Stopping Russian gas from Moldova Transnistria region It could generate a “humanitarian crisis” as well as “risks to the functioning and stability” of the country’s energy sector, according to a press release from the Parliament of Moldova.
Moldova's Prime Minister Doreen Risin said that this winter should be the last in the country's history in which it can remain a hostage of energy supplies.
Russia launched Large-scale invasion of Ukraine Nearly three years ago, He said It is ready to continue supplying gas to Europe via Ukraine.
Russia launched a large-scale air strike against Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Friday morning. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky He said Moscow used 93 missiles and about 200 drones in the attack.
Flow regulating valves at a natural gas metering station in Moldova.
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Analysts at Dutch bank ING He said The cessation of Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine means that the European Union will lose about 15 billion cubic meters of gas supplies annually, which is equivalent to about 5% of total imports.
“While there have been some efforts to try to maintain gas flows through a potential swap with Azerbaijan, it appears that these flows will stop and we believe this should be priced into the market,” said Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy at ING. In a research note published on Wednesday.
“This leaves a downside risk to the market. If these flows continue for any reason, the European market will remain better supplied than many expected,” he added.
