Vestmoldtransgaz

2023: Moldova hands over management of its gas transmission networks to Romania

Since September 2023, Moldovan GTS have been managed by Vestmoldtransgaz for five years, which is 75% owned by the Romanian company Transgaz and 25% by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The Romanian company Transgaz also owns the Iasi-Ungen-Chisinau gas pipeline, and 58% of its shares are owned by the government. Romania

It is through this gas pipeline that Moldova is trying to reorient itself to gas supplies from Europe so as not to directly purchase all gas from the Russian Gazprom.

Earlier, the Moldovan GTS were managed by Moldovagaz, the main shareholder of which is Gazprom.

As part of the third EU energy package, Moldova has pledged to divide supplies, transportation and distribution in the gas market.

However, in June 2023, Moldovagaz reported that they did not have time to complete the certification process and separate the new Moldovatransgaz company from the parent company.

The government indicates that the signing of an agreement on the lease of a GTS to a Romanian company was allowed by some decisions of the Emergency Situations Commission, as well as the law approved in July on the procedure for revoking the license of the GTS operator (i.e. from Moldovagaz) and transferring its assets to another company.