Top Moldovan officials have warned that the country will face difficult times if Russian energy giant Gazprom stops supplying free gas to the breakaway Transnistria region. 

Transnistria receives free gas from Gazprom as part of Russia’s economic support for the unrecognised republic, which it turns into electricity and supplies to the rest of Moldova. However, deliveries of gas to Transnistria may be cut off from January 1, 2025 when the contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz expires, interrupting the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. 

This will be difficult for Moldova, but not a disaster, Moldovan officials said ahead of a visit by Moldova’s Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov and the acting and appointed heads of Gazprom-controlled Moldovagaz to St. Petersburg to meet Gazprom officials at the invitation of the Russian company.

It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be costly, but “at least on the right side of the Dniester [controlled by Chisinau]” there will be enough natural gas, acting head of Moldovagaz Vadim Ceban said.

"It will be complicated, it will be expensive, but it will not be a catastrophe,” Prime Minister Dorin Recean told the Exclusiv TV station.

"I repeat, the government has solutions for any scenario, therefore, there will be no catastrophe. It will be difficult, it will be expensive, but it won't be a catastrophe,” added Recean.

Recean made it clear that the talks will not cover the possible resumption of gas supplies to Moldova proper, which abandoned Russian gas in 2023 and switched to alternative sources while still depending on cheap electricity supplied by Transnistria.

On the agenda of the talks in St. Petersburg may be the appointment of new management at Moldovagaz, which was selected based on competitive procedures, and the issue of debt owed by Moldovagaz to Gazprom. An audit carried out at the request of the Moldovan authorities did not find relevant debt owed by Moldovagaz, while Gazprom still claims some $700mn.