The plan on the enhancement of Moldova’s energy resilience and the needs of support to this end were discussed at a meeting with Moldova’s development partners, chaired by Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

„We must speed up the carrying out of the projects due to ensure Moldova’s energy independence, the full integration into the European energy market and the increase in the strategic reserves of natural gas. We rely, in continuation, on the assistance of the development partners, in order to reduce the dependence on Russia,’’ PM Dorin Recean stressed.

Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) Gert Jan Koopman, who co-presided over the meeting with the donors, emphasized that the support provided by the European Union was aimed at stabilizing the situation for long term – Moldova’s integration into the  European energy market, so that there are no longer risks dealing with the support with energy resources. For their part, Moldova’s foreign partners expressed willingness to mobilize the means, in order to contribute to the carrying out of the measures included in the energy support package, recently provided by the European Union.

The principal elements of the energy package, implemented with the European Union’s support, are the financial support of 30 million euros, already allocated for Moldova, in order to overcome the effects of the humanitarian crisis on the left bank of Dniester and the providing of a financial support of 250 million euros for the 2025 year. With the aforementioned sum, decision-makers will compensate the increase in the price for electric energy for the first 110 kwh, for all families and household consumers of Moldova and the budget of compensation for the companies from the food sector will be supplied with 15 million euros. The worst hit companies will benefit from the compensation of 50 per cent of the price for electric energy.

The 250 million euros will also be used to fully cover the increase in the invoices for electric energy for social institutions – schools, kindergartens, hospitals, social centres, hit by the prices increases. At the same time, additional financing will be provided, with an overall value of 50 million euros, for energy efficiency projects and an additional fund will be created to provide one-off payments to the vulnerable people.

Also, the package proposed sees a comprehensive plan of actions for the next two years, meant to enhance the energy resilience and independence of Moldova. The plan contains a strategy of financing – including grants, loans and technical assistance – and will be connected to the agenda of reforms provided for in the Growth Plan for Moldova.

At the meeting, Government’s Secretary General Artur Mija unveiled the present stage of the carrying out of the projects included in the Growth Plan for Moldova and the priorities for the next period. Besides the strengthening of the energy sector, it is essential to carry out the projects on regional development, modernization of the health system and the education one.

The head of the State Chancellery highlighted the importance of the aligning of all projects to the national priorities and the citizens’ needs, of enhancing the capacities of the project implementation units, as well as the existence of a mechanism of monitoring and evaluation of their impact.