Results of our participation in the public hearings of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance
- Alexandr Devdera
- Aug 15, 2024
- 1 min read
Discussions within the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, Finance and Budget on the new version of the law on natural gas have revealed disagreements between representatives of the Ministry of Energy, Moldovagaz and market operators.
The draft law stipulates that when switching from the state-regulated market to the free market, the consumer or supplier must make a one-off payment - the "equity component". This means covering tariff deviations from the current gas tariff.
Gas suppliers have criticized the rule, saying it will limit the entry of new customers and is not in line with free market principles. They also criticized the provision that in case of dissatisfaction when changing supplier, the consumer can return to the regulated tariff only after 12 months.
Moldovagaz president Vadim Ceban said that suppliers "do not want to take risks". If this provision did not exist, the consumer could return to the universal (backup) supplier, which in most cases is Moldovagaz.
Energy Minister Victor Parlicov advised consumers to read the law carefully before changing their gas supplier. Business representatives have proposed setting up a working group to find a compromise that would allow business to develop and protect consumers' interests.
The Moldovan authorities plan to pass the new law by the end of 2024, in line with EU directives.
