Moldova (bbabo.net), - If the gas price for Moldova next month remains at the level of more than 600 dollars, Moldovagaz will demand an increase in the domestic gas tariff to 12-15 lei. "Moldovagaz" Vadim Cheban. According to him, the company is still in a payment crisis, noi.md reports.

“In December, Moldovagaz paid off on its own. Today, by January 13, we paid off for December and for the whole of 2021, respectively. By January 20, we must pay for current consumption. Now there is a certain cash deficit. We have to pay 647 dollars for 43-44 million dollars more, because the tariff includes one price, but in fact you have to pay more," explains Cheban.

The head of Moldovagaz said that since November 2021, the company has been negotiating with commercial banks to provide a short-term loan to cover the deficit, but has not made any progress in this direction.

"The company is overloaded with debts. We have historical debt, and the bank, of course, looks at the balance of payments. We must admit this. Market options for overcoming the crisis are unlikely," said Vadim Cheban.

According to the director of the company, a meeting of the Supervisory Board will be held next week, where shareholders will discuss ways out of the crisis. The company has already asked the authorities to defer VAT payments and use the money to pay for gas. The decision was discussed at a meeting of the emergency commission. But the only long-term solution to the problem of the payment crisis can only be an increase in the gas tariff, Cheban admits.

“Now we have to go and demand an increase in the tariff. We have no other mechanism to cover the cash gap. This is the situation, we need to speak directly to consumers,” says the head of the company.

According to Vadim Cheban, if the price does not decrease in February, "Moldovagaz" will apply to ANRE for an increase in the tariff.

"We must say that we do not know what the price forecast will be. We will find out after January 20. If the price remains the same as now - more than six hundred dollars, we will have to ask for an increase to 12-14, possibly 15 lei" , - admits the head of "Moldovagaz".

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