The leader of the “Building Trust” movement, Olesea Stamate, has sent an official request to Energocom demanding full information on from whom, how much, and on what terms gas was purchased for Moldova, the transportation price, and so on.
The occasion is more than serious. Electricity is getting more expensive, diesel is already at a record level, and the smell of a new gas tariff increase is once again in the air. At the same time, the bills with the previous price hike, as Stamate caustically notes, have not even had time to reach citizens’ mailboxes. And now a new scourge is on the horizon.
Particularly telling is the history of the authorities’ statements.
“A few weeks ago, Prime Minister Tofan said he did not expect electricity prices to rise until the end of the year. Today, Minister Junghietu admits that the price increase will come,” the politician emphasizes the authorities’ inconsistency.
Such is the evolution of views over a short period. And against this backdrop, the government, instead of using the levers it has — reducing VAT or excise duties — is preparing an increase in the excise duty on diesel from January 1. The logic, to put it mildly, is surprising.
Stamate wonders why the state is not using the levers it has? It can reduce VAT, it can reduce excise duties, but instead the government is preparing an increase in excise duties on diesel from January 1.
She also reminded that international prices are not an justification for secrecy. International prices do not hinder transparency, the politician is convinced. Unless there is something to hide.
“Today I submitted a request to Energocom. We ask simply: from whom did you buy the gas? How much did you buy? How much does transportation cost? Where was it stored and at what price?
This time we demand transparency before any new increase,” Stamate stated.
The request to Energocom, thus, became an attempt to force the authorities to play by honest rules, rather than change tariffs in the silence of offices.
Separately, Stamate addressed the topic of European integration, which has recently become the main justification for any unpopular decisions. According to her, the authorities are not conducting any real negotiations with Brussels — they are simply engaged in copy-pasting European legislation into Moldovan law. And this, unfortunately, concerns not only excise duties on fuel but all other spheres as well.
“They do not tell us about leveling and conditions. They lie to us. And we will prove it. They are engaged in copy-pasting and have no intention of discussing anything. They have only an interest in copy-pasting from European legislation into Moldovan legislation,” the leader of “Building Trust” emphasized.
In the coming days, Stamate promises to show concrete figures: how negotiations on transition periods took place in countries that joined the EU in 2004, 2007, and 2013, including on VAT for diesel. So that people can see for themselves the difference between real negotiations and the mechanical transfer of foreign norms. And judging by the mood, this will be an unpleasant spectacle for those accustomed to hiding behind Brussels directives without bothering to read them to the end.
