Political tensions between Moldova and the breakaway region of Transnistria flared up again when Russia cut off gas supplies, leaving hundreds of thousands of people in the region without hot water and heating, Politico reported.
The EU and the Moldovan government have called on the Transnistrian authorities to accept alternative energy supplies, but this offer has been rejected.
Since January 1, Russia has stopped supplying gas to Transnistria after the transit agreement via Ukraine expired. This has pushed the people of the separatist region into a serious energy crisis, in the middle of a harsh winter.
European Commission foreign affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said Moldova had offered to provide energy from the European market and humanitarian assistance to Transnistria, but pro-Russian leaders in Tiraspol - the capital of the breakaway region - had refused.
“We call on Tiraspol to cooperate with the Moldovan authorities to resolve the issue in the interests of local people,” Ms. Hipper stressed.
Moldova’s Prime Minister, Dorin Recean, accused Russia of exploiting the energy crisis to destabilize the region. “Russia has stopped supplying gas to a region that it controls, where Russian troops are still stationed, and where it does not allow anyone to assist,” Recean said in a closed-door briefing with reporters.
He also said the move was part of Russia's strategy to exert pressure ahead of important parliamentary elections in Moldova later this year.
Leaders in Tiraspol appear to be waiting for Russia to intervene. Anatolii Dirun, a professor at the Tiraspol School of Politics, said Transnistrian officials hoped Moscow would find a solution in the next week or two. “They are trying to buy time, waiting for Russia to intervene to solve the problem,” Dirun said.
However, Moldova believes that this crisis could be an opportunity to end Transnistria's decades-long separatism.
The EU is closely monitoring the situation with Moldova. “We have set up a working group with Moldova to mitigate the impact of the Russian gas supply interruption,” said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, EU spokeswoman for energy and housing. “This is a very serious situation.”
