Moldova signed an agreement on auditing debt to Gazprom

The authorities of Moldova signed an agreement on conducting an independent financial and legal audit of the debt of “Moldovagaz” to “Gazprom” and “Factoring Finance”, reported in his Telegram channel, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu. The contract was signed with the Norwegian Wikborg Rein Advokatfirma AS and the British Forensic Risk Alliance & Co.

According to him, both companies undertake to audit the republic’s gas debts by January 30, 2023. “The contract was concluded during the direct negotiations procedure on the basis of the order of the Commission for Emergency Situations dated July 13, 2022,” Spinu added.

Since 2011Gazpromand Moldovagaz annually extended the gas supply agreement. The validity of the next contract ended on September 30, 2021, but the parties could not conclude a new contract for a month due to Chisinau’s debts for past deliveries. On October 29, the contract was extended for five years. According to the document, Russia agreed to the formula proposed by Moldova, subject to the timely payment of current payments and the repayment of historical debt.

In February 2022, Spinu said that the Russian holding could terminate the contract for the supply of gas to the republic due to disagreements over the debt. Prior to this, “Gazprom” accused the representatives of Moldova that they unilaterally set the conditions for attracting an auditor to check the debt of “Moldovagaz”.

The historical debt settlement agreement was to be signed by May 1, 2022 April 12 Moldovan gas supply operator sent a request to Gazprom for an extension of the debt audit period.

In October 2021, Gazprom reported that the debt of Moldovagaz to the Russian company for the supplied gas was $433 million, and taking into account late payments, $709 million.