Moldova has completed an audit of the historic debt of state company Moldovagaz to Russian Gazprom. This was expressed by the Republic’s Minister of Energy, Viktor Parlikov, stating that the results will be presented later, after a thorough analysis.
In an interview with Ziarul de Garda, a Moldovan publication funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the minister announced that the audit has been completed. He described the audit results as interesting and added that based on the findings of the results, Chisinau will decide how the situation with Gazprom will be resolved in the future.
The audit was carried out by two companies – the Norwegian Wikborg Rein Advokatfirma and the British Forensic Risk Alliance & Co. In the audit, the formation process of Moldovagaz’s debt to Gazprom and Factoring-Finance LLC for fuel supply to the right bank of Dniester, that is Moldova, was evaluated. Deliveries for the period of 27 August 1991 – 31 October 2021 were examined. According to Gazprom, the debt is $709 million.
Initially, the inspection period was supposed to end at the beginning of this year, but was later extended until April. On April 4, Parlikov stated that the government would need a “new decision” to fully repay the debt. Against this background, he added, the Moldovan authorities cannot rush foreign experts to present the inspection results. As a result, the timing of the control was shifted several times.
June 22 Parlikov declaration On the pointlessness of further gas purchases by the Russian side, since both Moscow and Chisinau did not comply with the previously reached agreements.
formerly Gazprom knowledgeable On the regular supply of gas to Europe via Ukraine.