"We've been without heat for a month this winter."
Moldova is doing nothing to solve the problem with gas in Transnistria and is using this crisis against the residents of the unrecognized republic, DMR President Vadim Krasnoselsky said in an interview with Izvestia. There is almost no gas for heating homes and social facilities in Transnistria. The state of emergency regime will be extended in the republic. At the same time, Russia is doing everything possible so that the DMR could receive blue fuel. In addition, negotiations with Hungarian companies are underway. The European Commission has also offered its assistance. But Chisinau is blocking possible ways out of the energy crisis.
"In principle, there is already no gas".
- Events around Transnistria are developing rapidly. Earlier there were reports that gas reserves in the republic were left not even for a few days, but for a few hours. Now that we are talking to you, how many hours of gas reserves are left?
- If we are talking about maintaining the gas transportation system and pressure in multi-storey buildings, then we have enough for another five days. But if we are talking about heating the homes of citizens and social facilities, there is no gas left.
- That is, if we take the normal operation of industry and heating, then, in principle, there will not be enough for a single day?
- The gas has already run out. That is, if, for example, a week ago such social facilities as hospitals (there are 11 of them), correctional institutions (there are more than 10 of them) were still heated with gas, then today we have switched these institutions to diesel boiler fuel. And we provide people with heat, of course, but through other sources. There is no gas.
- At the same time, we have started to receive reports that stable gas supplies to the republic should resume very soon, for example, by February 1. What volumes are we talking about and how likely are these supplies? Are there any guarantees?
- In fact, there are ways of supply. There are not even two, not three, but many more. It is important for us to give warmth to people. The population of Transnistria suffers a lot. We have been without heat and a proper amount of light and electricity for almost a month in the winter.
On January 18, Tiraspol sent a letter to Moldova, where we agreed with Chisinau's position: let Moldovagaz supply us with fuel in Transnistria, we guarantee payment.
And what happened next? By and large, Moldova has gas in its system and reserves. They could have given us a price. But this did not happen.
On January 9, I met with OSCE Chairwoman Elina Valtonen, and she said that the Moldovan leadership would not prevent the transit of gas to Transnistria, including Russian gas. But these are all words. In reality, what we see is just resistance and unwillingness to do so. Then some Moldovan officials began to be marked by relevant statements. For example, Mr. Serebryan (Oleg Serebryan, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration - Izvestia) said in an interview a week ago that Chisinau and Tiraspol should think about how to supply gas without Russia, without the Russian factor.
Then my visit to Moscow took place. I met with officials of the Ministry of Energy, where we were offered options. We also offered our own. I saw sincere interest on the part of the Ministry's representatives, for which I thanked them and now I thank them too.
At the same time, the Russian Federation gives us a credit. We are crediting Tiraspoltransgaz, and it will pay for the fuel supplied to Transnistria. Negotiations are already underway with Hungarian companies to supply us with gas with our payment. But there are technical deadlines in which the company checks the payment and so on.
"Moldova is using the crisis against the people
- So, from the beginning, conditions are set that cannot be fulfilled? For example, about the absence of the Russian factor. At the same time, Moldovan companies receive fuel from Gazprom, it is not excluded. And it is the same with peacekeepers: they cannot just be replaced. Who, in your opinion, is behind this and who benefits from the humanitarian crisis in Transnistria?
- I will remind you that peacekeepers are in Transnistria according to the 1992 peace agreement signed by the presidents of Moldova and the Russian Federation. This force includes peacekeepers from Russia, Transdniestria and Moldova. This is a tripartite mission. And, according to the agreement, the peacekeepers are here until a full comprehensive resolution of the Transdniestrian issue.
And how can this be changed? This is a completely different institution, completely different legal relations. Moldovan politicians have tried to throw all problems into one basket: peacekeepers, exclusion of the Russian factor and so on. They also contradict each other. Both the Moldovan president and prime minister say that Gazprom should resume gas supplies to Transnistria. And their political representative says that it is necessary to exclude the Russian factor. Do you understand? I am convinced that these are puzzles of one big picture called "Let's not supply gas to Transnistria so that people will suffer and agonize". These are their real goals.
That is why I openly accused the Moldovan leadership of discriminating against the population of Transnistria on territorial grounds. Moldova does nothing to solve the problem. I would like to touch, of course, on European assistance. The European Union is ready to give €30 million for the purchase of gas for Transnistria. In such conditions, it is simply foolish to refuse any assistance. And we accept it with gratitude.
At the same time, we ask for clarification on how this assistance will be implemented. I demanded an emergency meeting. Moldova, Transnistria and the European Union were represented by officials. And here Mr. Borosan (State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova Constantin Borosan. - "Izvestia") stated that Chisinau does not consider the possibility of transferring gas to Transnistria to generate electricity at the Moldovan TPP. When asked where we would get electricity, he said: "We will supply it to you somehow".
At the same time, if the GRES does not work, everything will sag, and this will be felt by Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, and, of course, Transnistria. So our specialists went to Chisinau to explain this.
What can be said in conclusion? First - Moldovagaz officially refuses to supply gas to Transnistria at the end of December. Second - they forbid their Moldovan independent company to supply gas. Third - Moldovagaz does nothing to supply gas to Transnistria. Fourth, they delay negotiations with the Hungarian company. Fifth - they discredit European assistance by creating insurmountable obstacles for gas supply to Transnistria.
Moldavskaya GRES
I call on the Moldovan authorities to come to their senses, stop discriminating against the population of Transnistria and give people gas. We guarantee payment. And they know this very well.
- All these blocking of EU aid, mutually exclusive statements of the Moldovan authorities indicate that they just want to harm your republic? That is, they realize that the consequences will affect them, but nevertheless they delay the process. What are they trying to achieve?
- You know, it's another question whether they realize. But nevertheless, we should look at their actions since the January holidays. We have been preparing for this crisis, we started serious preparations four years ago. Two years ago we bought powerful generators for all medical, correctional and social institutions.
In December, a clear administrative vertical was actually built in order to minimize the consequences of the energy crisis. But what did Moldova do? It simply attacked us informationally, blaming Russia, us, the Transnistrian authorities. I am convinced: they had confidence that we would fail, break down, the people would be against the authorities and take to the squares. That is, they, in fact, generated mass disturbances.
I am also convinced that Moldova is using this crisis against the people, against the authorities, against Transnistria. And this is a fact. The events that have taken place even in the last month say so.
"Russia does not impose from whom to buy gas."
- The plan that Chisinau proposes to resolve the situation is unclear, there are multidirectional statements. And what plan does Russia propose? Is Moscow doing enough to help you in this situation?
- I have already said that Russia has given us a loan, thanks to which we will be able to pay for the gas. At the same time, Russia does not impose any formulas on who to buy gas from. They listen to us and welcome our decision. Russia is doing everything possible to make it all happen.
"The energy sector and the economy are in a state of shock."
- You talked about how people are suffering. What is the damage to industry? Have you already calculated what it will cost?
- Of course, we will also have losses as a result of industrial shutdowns. It is possible to come out of the budget. In principle, January is not over yet. It is too early to summarize the results, but it will be tens of millions of dollars a month out of the budget. That's a lot for us. The energy sector and the economy are in shock. The state of emergency will be extended.
- It is reported that the OSCE will seek progress in the Transnistrian settlement. Do you expect any progress this year, any concrete actions from this organization?
- Let's see, life will show. But I still think that we should focus on leveling the energy crisis. We need to get out of it, to give people the elementary benefits of civilization: heat and light. And then we can talk about other aspects.
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