According to the prime minister, the measure is preventive in nature and aims to avert a fuel shortage without causing panic among the public.
“We are implementing a state of heightened readiness not to cause panic, but to manage the situation proactively and ensure a steady supply of diesel fuel to the market,” said Vasile Tofan.
The prime minister explained that the current difficulties are caused by several factors at once: damage to oil terminals at the port of Novorossiysk, through which the bulk of Kazakhstan’s oil is exported to the Romanian Petromidia refinery; the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has triggered a rise in global oil prices; and a sharp drop in water levels in the Danube, which has complicated the delivery of fuel by barge to the port of Giurgiulești.
For his part, Energy Minister Dorin Jungheteu noted that the Republic of Moldova is almost entirely dependent on imports of petroleum products from Romania.
“Moldova imports about 99% of its gasoline, approximately 70% of its diesel fuel, 70% of its liquefied petroleum gas, and 100% of its jet fuel from Romania,” the minister said.
According to him, disruptions in Kazakh oil supplies have already affected operations at the Petromidia oil refinery, and the consequences are also being felt in Moldova. By the beginning of this week, 53 gas stations across the country had already run out of diesel fuel.
Jungietu reported that authorities and market participants are considering alternative supply routes from Turkey and Bulgaria. However, even after oil exports from Kazakhstan resume, it will take at least a week for the supply and processing of crude oil to return to normal.
The government emphasized that the heightened readiness regime will allow for the prompt implementation of necessary measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply of fuel to the country and to minimize the impact on agriculture, the economy, and the population. In addition to the energy sector, the Cabinet of Ministers considered introducing a state of heightened readiness in the hydrological sector, as well as expanding the powers of the Crisis Management Center to enable a more effective response.
The final decision must be approved by Parliament.
