[REVISION HISTORY]

Moldova gas tariff dispute fuels protests, billing shift

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2026-08-21 08:53 UTC → 2026-08-22 05:45 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In mid‑July, a board member of state‑run gas distributor SA Energocom quit, alleging a lack of transparency after the firm asked the regulator to lift low‑pressure network tariffs from 14.42 lei to roughly 20.93 lei per cubic metre. Officials defended the hike as a buffer against winter‑time bill spikes, while Chișinău’s mayor warned of a citizen burden. Two weeks later, the controversy widened. A Romanian electricity supplier announced a 13% price rise, and Energocom’s interim director, Eugeniu Buzatu, rebuffed calls from PSRM leader Igor Dodon to resume Gazprom purchases, saying current rates reflect global market dynamics. On 27 July, the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) put forward a 18.80 lei tariff (about 20.30 lei with VAT). The Platforma Demnitate și Adevăr and opposition parties organised protests on 28 July, demanding the director’s resignation, criminal investigations and early elections. The platform accused the government of basing the tariff on forecasts rather than actual procurement costs, citing a purchase price of €623 per 1,000 cubic metres and urging a ceiling of 17.44 lei. On 31 July, Energocom issued more than 630,000 June invoices at the earlier 14.42 lei per cubic metre rate (VAT included), citing a migration to a new payment system. By late August, tensions escalated as the civic movement ‘Construim Încredere’ organised protests at ANRE headquarters to contest the proposed increase, which represents over 40% from previous rates. Demonstrators demanded the elimination of the 8% VAT on natural gas and greater transparency in procurement. ANRE rejected calls to postpone the review, citing accumulated financial deficits of approximately 93.8 million lei. On 20 August, ANRE officially approved a nearly 41% increase in natural gas tariffs for residential consumers. Effective 1 September, the price per cubic metre will rise to 20.30 lei (including VAT), up from 14.42 lei.

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