Transnistria withdraws from Moldova-Gaz
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Saturday, 03 December 2005 |
Gateway 2 Russia - Russia
Transnistria must agree its withdrawal from the Russian-Moldovan joint gas company Moldova-Gaz with all shareholders, including with Moldova’s government, said Gennady Abashkin, Chairman of Moldova-Gaz, commenting on the decision of Transnistrian authorities to pull out from Moldova-Gaz.
“Deals of this scale should necessarily be agreed not only with the owners of the company but also with Moldova’s authorities, who hold a 35.33 percent stake in Modova-Gaz,” Abashkin said.
Russia’s gas giant Gazprom has a controlling stake in Moldova-Gaz (fifty percent plus one share). Moldova’s authorities have 35.33 percent, 13.44 percent is held by Moldova’s Privatization Department, and the rest is controlled by private shareholders.
On Thursday, the Supreme Council of Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria Republic decided to withdraw from Modova-Gaz. The move is aimed “at ensuring Transnistria’s security, developing the gas industry and providing Transnistria’s consumers with natural gas.”
Under the decision of the Transnistrian government, 50 percent of property that had been transferred by Transnistria to Moldova-Gaz shall be considered the property of Russia’s Gazprom. The rest of Transnistria’s stake would be sold in accordance with Transnistria’s laws, the decision said.
Anatoly Blashku, Transnistria’s Industry Minister, said the republic had already transferred 50 percent of its stake in Moldova-Gaz to Gazprom as payment for Russian gas supplies. The Transnistrian authorities plan to transfer the other 50 percent to Gazprom and set up the Russian-Transnistrian joint venture Tiraspoltransgaz-Prisdenstrovye.
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