Moldovan authorities want to lift state of emergency in energy

CHISINAU. April 1 (Interfax) - The Moldovan government will ask parliament next week to lift the state of emergency in the energy sector imposed at the national level on March 25, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"The authorities do not intend to maintain the state of emergency longer than absolutely necessary. The decision to impose a state of emergency in energy was never political. It is a tool that allows us to intervene quickly: to deliver necessary equipment and to manage contracts more flexibly in order to avoid more expensive scenarios, such as purchasing emergency energy, which is very important," Munteanu was quoted by the publication bani.md as saying.

"Our goal is clear - to present all the data to parliament next week and propose lifting the state of emergency under conditions that are safe for citizens," he said.

At the same time, the restoration of the Isaccea-Vulcanesti power line "does not yet mean that the system is now stable and safe," he said. "This is a complex system. After the repair work, there follows a phase of testing, verification, and rebalancing. Several days are required to check everything and return to normal operation, including stable, rather than emergency, supply contracts," he said.

As previously reported, the Moldovan authorities imposed a state of emergency on March 25 for 60 days after the Isaccea-Vulcanesti power line was disconnected on March 23 due to damage on Ukrainian territory. The power line connects the energy systems of Moldova and Romania, providing up to 70% of the electricity consumed in Moldova. The decision to impose a state of emergency was linked to the risk of a petroleum products shortage due to rising prices and possible supply disruptions amid the crisis in the Middle East.

The Moldovan Energy Ministry announced the restoration of the power line on Saturday, March 28.

The National Crisis Management Center said on March 31 that the state of emergency in the energy sector could be lifted ahead of schedule. The authorities effectively managed the critical situation that arose after the damage to the Isaccea-Vulcanesti power line, but the energy system still needs to be monitored, and the next few days are considered decisive for identifying possible issues, it said.