Prime Minister Vasily Tofan said that the amount of funding allocated for compensation during the cold season will be increased, and payments may be provided to more households than last year, TRIBUNA reports.

“Indeed, this year we planned to save more and allocate public spending in a more targeted manner. However, the growing pressure on household budgets requires us to increase the funds allocated for compensation. In previous years, we spent between 2.5 billion and 3.5 billion lei per winter. This year, we did not anticipate such high market prices, and we will have to revise our initial plans. We need to ensure that the Energy Vulnerability Fund covers more households and find the necessary funding for this. The number of households may exceed 620,000,” the Prime Minister said at the beginning of the Government meeting.

Vasily Tofan emphasized that providing assistance to citizens is becoming an absolute priority for the Government.

“Unfortunately, the risk factors have intensified — the conflict in the Middle East, the destruction of oil refineries, drought, and rising global prices — all of this is putting enormous pressure on the Republic of Moldova. We cannot influence drought, wars, or fuel shortages, but there are things that are within our competence,” the Prime Minister noted.