The European Commission said the authorities of Moldovaʼs separatist region of Transnistria should stop restricting offers from alternative gas sources after Russiaʼs Gazprom halted supplies, Politico reports.
According to the European Commission, the Moldovan government offered Transnistria energy and humanitarian assistance, but the authorities there did not accept it.
"We encourage Tiraspol to cooperate with Chisinau to resolve the situation in the interests of the local population," said Anita Hipper, the Commissionʼs spokesperson for foreign affairs.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recea accused Moscow of creating a confrontation and said it was provoking an energy and security crisis in the region.
"They have stopped gas supplies to the territories they control, in particular because they have illegally deployed military units there and are not allowing anyone to help the region," he explained.
The Moldovan government is convinced that Moscow refused to export natural gas to Transnistria via available alternative routes in order to increase tensions ahead of the parliamentary elections in Moldova.
Dorin Recan believes that the energy crisis could ultimately lead to the end of Transnistriaʼs self-proclaimed independence.
