2022 Moldovan energy crisis

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In 2022, Moldova suffered its worst energy crisis since its independence. It is hugely influenced by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [1]

In October, the Russian state-owned company Gazprom announced it would reduce its gas deliveries to Moldova by 30%, including Transnistria, an unrecognized separatist state supported by Russia and internationally recognized as part of Moldova. This caused a heavy gas deficit in Transnistria that caused several large companies in the separatist republic to cease their activities. In addition, the Transnistrian authorities announced that due to this gas crisis, the Cuciurgan power station, which supplies 70% of government-held Moldova's energy needs, would reduce its power deliveries to 27% of normal. [2]

In early October, Ukraine ceased its electricity exports to Moldova following the destruction of part of Ukraine's electricity system as a result of a mass bombing campaign of Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure by Russia. On 24 October, this provoked an electricity deficit in the country. [1] Following this, the Romanian state-owned company Hidroelectrica signed a contract with Moldovan state-owned Energocom company for the delivery of electricity to Moldova at prices considerably lower than the spot market price in Romania. For this to take place, changes in Romanian legislation were required. [3] This is believed to have increased support among Moldovan society for a potential unification of Moldova and Romania. [4]

Due to the energy crisis, protests against the pro-European government led by President Maia Sandu erupted seeking rapprochement with Russia in order to negotiate a better energy deal. [5] Due to this, it has been hypothesised that Russia is using Moldova's energy crisis to serve its geopolitical interests and to destabilize the pro-Western government in power. [6] [7]

On 10 November, during a visit by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Moldova, a 250 million-euro financial package from the European Union (EU) was announced to help Moldova deal with its energy crisis. Of these, 100 million would be grants, other 100 million would be loans and another 50 million would be destined to help Moldova's most vulnerable citizens. [8]

A few times parts of Moldova were in blackout due to Russian shelling of critical infrastructure of Ukraine. [9] [10] [11] [12]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova</span> Country in Eastern Europe

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova's capital and largest city is Chișinău.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnistria</span> Unrecognised state in Eastern Europe

Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as a part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldovan–Ukrainian border, as well as some land on the other side of the river's bank. Its capital and largest city is Tiraspol. Transnistria has been recognised only by three other unrecognised or partially recognised breakaway states: Abkhazia, Artsakh and South Ossetia. Transnistria is officially designated by the Republic of Moldova as the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester or as Stînga Nistrului. The Council of Europe considers the territory to be under military occupation by Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova–European Union relations</span> Bilateral relations

Relations between the European Union (EU) and Moldova are currently shaped via the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), an EU foreign policy instrument dealing with countries bordering its member states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova–Russia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Moldova–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation, two Eastern European, post-Soviet, ex-communist countries. Russian support for the self-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria) and a substantial Russian military presence therein strained Moldovan relations with Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moldova–Ukraine relations</span> Bilateral relations

Moldova–Ukraine relations are the Billateral/Diplomatic/Foreign relations between the Sovereign states of Moldova, and Ukraine. Ukraine opened an embassy in Chișinău and a consulate in Bălți in 2005. The Ukrainian ambassador in Chișinău is Serhiy Pirozhkov. The Moldova–Ukraine border is 985 kilometers. Ukrainians are the second largest ethnic group in Moldova after ethnic Moldovans. Both countries were former republics of the Soviet Union and are also the poorest countries in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia in the European energy sector</span>

Russia supplies a significant volume of fossil fuels to other European countries. In 2021, it was the largest exporter of oil and natural gas to the European Union, (90%) and 40% of gas consumed in the EU came from Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maia Sandu</span> President of Moldova since 2020

Maia Sandu is a Moldovan politician who has been the President of Moldova since 24 December 2020. She is the former leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) and former Prime Minister of Moldova from 8 June 2019 until 14 November 2019. On 12 November 2019, Sandu's government collapsed after a vote of no-confidence, with 63 of the 101 MPs having voted on the motion submitted by the PSRM. Sandu was Minister of Education from 2012 to 2015 and member of the Parliament of Moldova from 2014 to 2015, and again in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnistria–Ukraine relations</span> Bilateral relations

Transnistria–Ukraine relations is the bilateral relationship between the Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic and Ukraine. Ukraine does not officially recognize the independence of Transnistria. Nevertheless, it maintains special relations with Transnistria in the political, cultural and economic spheres.

Events in the year 2021 in Ukraine.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Romania has supported Moldova on several occasions, supplying it with medical equipment and supplies, volunteer Romanian experts and doctors and even a series of COVID-19 vaccine units that arrived on 27 February 2021, which allowed Moldova to start its vaccination program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 vaccination in Moldova</span> Vaccination campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic in Moldova

COVID-19 vaccination in Moldova started on 2 March 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moldova was very reliant on external help from other countries, having received donations of vaccines from Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and China. In fact, Moldova's vaccination campaign started due to a donation from Romania on 27 February 2021 composed of 21,600 Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses, with the first vaccinated person in the country being Alexandru Botizatu. Romania had promised earlier, on 29 December 2020, that it would help Moldova with a collaboration project which would include 200,000 vaccine doses to help Moldova combat the pandemic, but also other matters of the country. Romania subsequently made more donations on 27 March 2021 with 50,400 vaccine units; on 17 April 2021 with 132,000 vaccine doses, fulfilling its promise to Moldova; and on 7 May 2021 with 100,800 vaccine units even though this surpassed the promised 200,000 vaccine doses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnistria–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

Transnistria and the United States do not have official diplomatic relations as the United States is among the vast majority of political entities that does not recognize Transnistria as a sovereign nation and instead recognizes the region of Transnistria as part of Moldova.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5+2 format</span> Multilateral negotiation platform aimed at solving the Transnistria conflict

The 5+2 format, also known as the 5+2 talks, the 5+2 negotiations and the 5+2 process, is a diplomatic negotiation platform aimed at finding a solution to the Transnistria conflict between Moldova and the unrecognized state of Transnistria. It is composed of the latter two, which are designated as "parties to the conflict", and Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), "mediators" of the negotiations. The European Union (EU) and the United States act as "observers". The inclusion of Romania into the 5+2 format has been proposed.

The Cobasna ammunition depot is a large ammunition depot located in the village of Cobasna. Legally and internationally recognized as part of Moldova as a whole, the unrecognized breakaway state of Transnistria controls the village and the ammunition depot and has denied access to international observers, an exception being the so-called peacekeeping military forces of Russia located in the region ever since the end of the Transnistria War in 1992. Currently, civilian access to the ammunition depot is restricted and only the Russian and Transnistrian authorities have detailed information regarding the amount and situation of the stored weapons. The ammunition depot was created in the 1940s, when Transnistria was under the former Soviet Union (USSR). At the time, it held important strategic value.

The 2021–2022 global energy crisis began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, with much of the globe facing shortages and increased prices in oil, gas and electricity markets. The crisis was caused by a variety of economic factors, including the rapid post-pandemic economic rebound that outpaced energy supply, and escalated into a widespread global energy crisis following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The price of natural gas reached record highs, and as a result so did electricity in some markets. Oil prices hit their highest level since 2008.

Events from the year 2022 in Moldova.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Transnistria attacks</span> 2022 attacks in Moldovas breakaway region of Transnistria

The 2022 Transnistria attacks were a series of five incidents reported in the Eastern European breakaway state of Transnistria, legally recognized as part of Moldova, that occurred in 2022 between 25 and 27 April, on 6 May and on 5 June. No casualties were reported, but material damage did occur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure</span> Wave of Russian attacks during its invasion of Ukraine

The 2022 Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure refers to waves of pre-winter drone and missile strikes against Ukraine's infrastructure, conducted by Russia as part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Contrary to the rule of war, most targets were civilian areas beyond the battlefield and critical energy infrastructure in particular, which is considered a war crime. The campaign has been credited to Russian general Sergey Surovikin, who took overall command of Russia's war in Ukraine two days before the campaign's start, and had implemented similar operations in Syria.

The 2021–2022 global energy crisis has caused varying effects in different parts of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Moldovan protests</span>

On 18 September 2022, protests in Moldova began in the capital city of Chișinău, demanding the resignation of the country's pro-Western government, amid an energy crisis causing rising natural gas prices and inflation, caused in part by the war in Ukraine.

References

  1. 1 2 Cojan, Liviu (25 October 2022). "Maia Sandu: Republica Moldova se confruntă cu cea mai gravă criză energetică din istoria sa". Digi24 (in Romanian).
  2. ↑ Călugăreanu, Vitalie (21 October 2022). "Criza energetică generată de Putin poate duce la dispariția enclavei separatiste Transnistria" (in Romanian). Deutsche Welle.
  3. ↑ Neagu, Bogdan (14 October 2022). "Romania to cover Moldova's electricity deficit caused by Russia bombing". Euractiv .
  4. ↑ Gava, Ioan Radu (13 October 2022). "Rusia s-a prăbușit în ochii cetățenilor Republicii Moldova: România ne ajută cel mai mult / Deputat PAS, despre procentul unioniștilor: Va veni ziua în care 50%+1 își vor dori Unirea". DC News (in Romanian).
  5. ↑ Necșuțu, Mădălin (9 November 2022). "How an energy crisis is testing Moldova's mettle to turn away from Russia". Euronews.
  6. ↑ Jack, Victor (9 November 2022). "Moldova will ask EU allies for €450M amid fears Putin will cut gas flows". Politico Europe .
  7. ↑ Cenușă, Denis (16 November 2022). "COMMENT: Russian tactics against Ukraine hit Moldovan energy sector". bne IntelliNews.
  8. ↑ "EU announces $250 million package to help Moldova tackle harsh energy crisis". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 10 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Moldova Suffered Blackouts After Russian Strikes on Ukraine". Bloomberg.com. 15 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Ukraine war: Zelensky denounces Russian 'terror' in UN address". BBC News. 23 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Reuters (23 November 2022). "Most Moldovan power supplies restored after Russian strikes on Ukraine".
  12. ↑ "Russia's Ukraine invasion is fueling an energy crisis in neighboring Moldova". Atlantic Council. 5 December 2022.
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