Moldova asks Gazprom to delay gas prepayment till price revision

CHISINAU, Jan 18 (PRIME) -- Moldova has asked Russian gas giant Gazprom to delay repayment until the country revises the internal gas prices, Moldovan Prime Minister Natalya Gavrilita said in a news conference on Tuesday.

“We continue negotiations with Gazprom in order to delay prepayment until the tariff is revised. We don’t know what answer Gazprom will give us, this is why we are considering different measures to improve the country’s energy security,” she said.

Moldovan Infrastructure Minister Andrei Spinu said previously that the country that faced a new energy crisis as the gas price grew to U.S. $646 per 1,000 cubic meters in January from $450 in December, negotiating with Gazprom a delay of the January payment. It also planned to raise a loan to redeem the debt.

Gazprom and Moldovagaz prolonged their long-term gas supply contract for 5 years in October after long negotiations. Gazprom said then that it agreed to almost all Moldova’s conditions taking into account the situation in the country, but insisted that Chisinau make current payments in full and on time.

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