Moldova has declared a two-month state of emergency. What is the reason behind this decision?

Two days ago, an emergency economic situation was declared in the unrecognized Transnistria. Today, it has been reported that Moldova has announced a nationwide state of emergency for 60 days.

The government took these actions due to the potential halt of Russian gas supplies starting January 1, 2025. This is reported by Reuters.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean emphasized that this decision is aimed at countering "gas blackmail" from Moscow. The state of emergency will grant the government the authority to respond swiftly and control the export of energy resources.

This decision was supported by 56 out of 101 deputies. The voting took place after midnight during an emergency parliamentary session.

The situation escalated following Ukraine's announcement that it would not extend the transit contract with "Gazprom," which expires on December 31. Moldova receives approximately 2 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually through Ukrainian territory. Since 2022, all of this volume has been directed to Transnistria, the publication reports.

In the territory of the unrecognized republic, there is a power plant that operates on Russian gas. It supplies electricity not only to Transnistria but also to a large portion of the territories controlled by the Moldovan government.

Moldovan authorities are considering an alternative supply route through the "Turkish Stream" and then through Bulgaria and Romania. However, "Gazprom" links the possibility of such supplies to the requirement of settling a debt of 709 million dollars for previous gas supplies.

It is worth noting that the authorities of unrecognized Transnistria declared a state of emergency on December 11. A decree by the so-called "president of PMR" prohibits the export of energy resources to territories controlled by Chisinau. The document also outlines a special procedure for the distribution of food, restrictions on certain types of economic activities, and the suspension of some constitutional rights of residents in the region, including the right to strike and rest.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported that "Gazprom" has already prepared a plan in case of a halt in transit through Ukraine. According to Reuters, Moscow does not plan to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine in 2025.