The protesters accused the government of mismanaging the energy sector and demanded explanations regarding gas purchases, claiming that the authorities had failed to take advantage of the period when prices on international markets were lower. In addition, the protesters demanded greater transparency in the operations of Energocom and a review of utility rates.
The protest ended with chants of “Resign!”, “Down with PAS!”, and “Early elections!”. Participants stated that the protests would continue if their demands were not met.
Calls for the government’s resignation and early parliamentary elections were also heard at the protest.
It should be noted that the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE) has published for public comment a draft decision on the review and approval of regulated prices for natural gas supplied by Energocom to certain categories of end users as part of its public service obligation.
UPDATE 3:00 PM
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan commented on the opposition’s protest against rising natural gas tariffs, stating that he supports citizens’ right to protest but urged them to focus on finding solutions. He stated that the government cannot influence approximately 60% of the tariff, as this portion depends on the market price of the purchased gas. At the same time, the prime minister believes that approximately 40% of the tariff, related to gas distribution and supply, could be made more transparent and optimized.
