Moldova has declared a state of emergency for the gas crisis

Moldova declared a 30-day state of emergency on Friday in an effort to secure cheaper natural gas from Europe after Russia, a traditional supplier, increased its prices. The former Soviet republic, with a population of 2.6 million, wedged between Romania and Ukraine, receives gas from Russia through the separatist region of Transnistria and Ukraine. Russian state energy giant Gazprom raised Moldova's gas price from $ 550 (€ 472.63) per 1,000 cubic meters (m3) in September to $ 790 this month. This is a level that Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spina called "unjustified and unrealistic" for Europe's poorest country. This was stated on Friday by Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita in the parliament. She added that Moldova would seek supplies from European countries, and thanked Romania and Ukraine for already supplying it with a certain amount of gas. Gazprom and its subsidiary Moldovagaz last month agreed to extend the existing supply contract until October 31, but Gavrilita says Moldovagaz "is not keeping its word." According to her, the company does not provide the required volumes of natural gas, while Moldova has so far received a third less gas in October than usual. The prime minister also said that Moldova and Gazprom were continuing negotiations, but that the former Soviet republic "did not have confidence" in the success of the talks and "must take action", otherwise it will remain without gas. The state of emergency gives the Moldovan energy company Energocom the power to secure gas from other countries. Moldova is struggling with gas shortages at a time when its price is rising sharply. Some politicians in Europe blame Russia. According to them, Moscow is not supplying enough gas to Europe to create pressure to approve the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which runs along the bottom of the Baltic Sea and bypasses Ukraine. In Moldova, some experts say Russia has raised gas prices for the country because it elected pro-European president Maia Sandu last year, who said she wanted the split region of Transnistria to rejoin Moldova. The country has long been divided into two camps, one for closer relations with the European Union and the other for maintaining relations with Moscow.