Timeline
During the public hearings on the platform of the commission for economy, budget and finance, the representative of the company “Rompetrol Moldova”, Dumitru Josanu, said that at the moment the company does not have the storage capacities necessary to store the required volumes.
“I am not sure that all oil companies are ready for such a load. As a separate entity, Rompetrol Moldova does not have the necessary capacities to store such volumes of oil products. This is the first and most difficult stage we face. The second problem is the extremely tight deadlines. The previous version of the project envisioned an eight-year grace period from the moment of Moldova’s accession to the EU. Now the document specifies a different term – until 2034, which is a very strict limitation. It is necessary to take into account realistic conditions so that economic agents could fulfill their obligations,” Josanu emphasized.
Infrastructure
Moreover, finding land plots that meet the standards for the construction of new oil storage facilities remains a major challenge:
“Rompetrol Moldova needs a new warehouse to store huge volumes of oil products, and our main problem is finding a site that meets all the requirements for the construction of such a facility. We have repeatedly appealed to the Ministry of Energy for help in selecting land and possibly asking for state subsidies for the realization of such a project. In the absence of appropriate infrastructure, we cannot guarantee the implementation of the law.
Calculations
Diana Trohin, a representative of Siento SRL, drew attention to the financial aspects of the project:
“All contribution calculations are based on data for 2024, which is no longer relevant. Infrastructure and product procurement costs at the current level of compensation create a negative balance for companies. We propose to adjust these contributions in line with current market prices”.
Catherine Plecinta (Petrom Moldova) welcomed the initiative, noting the inevitability of its adoption, but emphasized the need for additional analysis of the tax consequences. She called for the development of a regulatory framework compatible with European practices, especially with regard to the tax regime and excise storage of energy resources.
Essence
As a reminder, the draft law recently approved in first reading obliges Moldova to maintain fuel stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports or 61 days of domestic consumption. This “hybrid” mechanism puts the responsibility both on a centralized state structure (to be established) and on private importers, who are obliged to ensure the storage of significant volumes of oil products.
This mechanism is planned to be financed through a targeted contribution included in the price of fuel at gas stations. The authorities argue that this is necessary to ensure national security. The private sector agrees, but insists on revising the project, including costs, taking into account the current economic realities in order to prevent market destabilization.
