Gazprom says still in negotiations on gas deal with Moldova

MOSCOW/CHISINAU/KIEV, Oct 29 (PRIME) -- Gas giant Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller has continued negotiations on Russian natural gas supplies to Moldova with Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Vadim Ceban, Gazprom said in a statement late on Thursday.

Other details of the negotiations were not disclosed.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu that the negotiations with Gazprom take such a long time because the Moldovan authorities want the best price for gas.

The Public Property Agency of Moldova said in a statement that Moldova had signed a contract to buy 1.5 million cubic meters of gas from Ukrainian state energy holding Naftogaz of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian company won a fourth auction of Moldovan company Energocom, while the first was won by Poland’s PGNiG, the second by Dutch company Vitol, and the third by PGNiG and Swiss company DXT Commodities, the agency said.

Sergei Makogon, CEO of the Operator of Gas Transmission System (GTS) of Ukraine, said on his Facebook page that the company had loaned out 15 million cubic meters of gas to Moldova to ensure stable pressure in its gas transmission system.

Russia and Moldova, as well as their gas companies, have been in talks on a new gas contract since October 1, when Russian gas giant Gazprom ultimately refused to extend the 2008 deal and demanded that Moldova pay U.S. $700 million of its debts and sign a new contract at market prices.

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