Brussels, 25/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - Chisinau does not want to renounce the Energy Community and is seeking a compromise with Russia on the price of its gas.
“We are not going to denounce this agreement [the accession protocol to the Energy Community]. In the frame of this agreement, we have a certain margin of flexibility. We are seeking now, together with experts of the EU, a compromise solution that should be presented to our Russian partners by the end of the month. We hope it will be a workable one and that we will be able to close this issue”, said President of the Moldovan Parliament Marian Lupu after meeting President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz in Brussels on Tuesday 25 September.
A member of the Energy Community since 1 May 2010 - a community which brings together the EU and its neighbours from South-East Europe to create an integrated energy market based on Community legislation - Moldova has been asked by Moscow to leave it in order to benefit from reduced prices for Russian gas. Deep in deficits, Moldova, which is 100% dependent on Russian gas, wants to obtain a 30% reduction in is gas bill. (EH/transl.fl)