It’s been 30 years since we are blackmailed with gas. As soon as an authority from Moldova makes a statement (sincere or contextual) on closer cooperation with the EU or the support of any causes that do not suit the Kremlin, the gas issue appears on the agenda either immediately or with the approach of the cold period of the year.

No, not Putin or Russia is to blame for our crisis. The culprits are all the pleiads of politicians who have been in power in Moldova for 30 years, being corrupted by vacations and other benefits received in the Kremlin, in exchange for dishonorable contracts for this state and its citizens. The idea that they are gas giants and we should be scared in front of them should not even be mentioned. In 30 years there have been so many examples of states that have managed to get out of this area of ​​energy dependence, but also examples of Russia’s disgraceful way of approaching the gas issue in relation to other states, that it has become emblematic: the bill for Russian gas contains not only a substantial financial tax but also a tax of humiliation and cynicism.

How did the Baltic States manage to get out of this dependence without remaining hostages to paralyzing contracts? With the help of a transparent and strong European political class. Of course, at this moment, the lack of gas creates even bigger problems for our political class: they promised good times, but they keep people freezing, while Dodon, Voronin, Timofti, Lucinschi, Snegur did not do such a thing!

Yes, they did, because of them, we got here. But the more difficult it is the problem, the more visible will be the intelligence or inability of this government to solve it. Now, after so many years, the solution must necessarily contain the following elements: to have gas, but also honor, to reject exaggerated offers, but not to freeze, to find alternative, but fast, to find gas quickly, but cheaply.

I would add that the current government must ensure all these solutions in conditions of maximum transparency. People need to know the price of gas, government actions, successes, or failures. If someone gives Moldova a gift – people need to know, if it is a trap – people still need to know. If the price of gas is to be offset for some categories of consumers there is a need for transparency again. If the consumers in the city will be rewarded because the price of gas is excessively high, what will the inhabitants of the villages receive in return, who remains to heat themselves on their own? But most importantly, if consumers in the Breakaway Transnistrian region are allowed a preferential price, then exactly the same price should be offered to every citizen of Moldova. If the Transnistrian region is allowed to consume on debt, then all regions must have the same right.

Looking on the Moldovagaz website, I see several announcements regarding the consumers that are warned with penalties, but there are no such warnings for Transnistrian consumers, who are currently the biggest debtors for gas consumption. This is because the governments of Moldova have always been bad in terms of transparency and explanation of the true components of the problem, but also of the truth about the price of heat and cold. Gas is becoming the best test of resilience for the government, citizens, partners – moral and immoral.