Utility disconnection moratorium rejected before winter
PSRM MP Vladimir Odnostalco, speaking in parliament, proposed a moratorium on winter utility disconnections, but PAS blocked the initiative. The draft would ban the disconnection of consumers from three services during the cold season: natural gas, electricity and centralised heating. Odnostalco recalled that a similar mechanism was used in 2022, when parliament voted unanimously for a moratorium.
“Winter is approaching. Unfortunately, the socio-economic situation in the country has not improved, people do not have more money in their pockets, except for some relatives, of course, and we need to adopt the practice of 2022. I remind you that in 2022 parliament voted unanimously for our initiative on a moratorium, that is, a ban on disconnection from utility services,” he said.
According to him, officials are warning every day that the latest increases will not be the last, and that new electricity tariffs will follow.
“First, I remind you that the price of gas has practically doubled in recent months. This is an unprecedented increase in gas prices,” the deputy said.
Socialists say proposal targeted vulnerable households
The Socialists stressed that they were not demanding an unconditional moratorium. Their proposal was aimed only at vulnerable families who show responsibility in paying their bills.
The protection measures would apply to households that pay at least 50% of their current debt, provided the accumulated arrears do not exceed 5,000 lei for gas and heating, and 1,500 lei for electricity.
“We are talking about electricity, natural gas and thermal energy. We, the faction of the Party of Socialists, have registered draft law No. 329. It is currently in the legislative procedure. We propose adding it to the agenda, discussing it and voting on it. This is about a ban on disconnection during the cold period of the year from three utility services: natural gas, electricity and thermal energy,” Odnostalco told MPs.
But PAS deputies blocked consideration of the initiative, which was presented as a measure to protect the poorest Moldovans. This is not the first such case: in December 2025, the ruling party also rejected similar social proposals from the opposition, including a moratorium on energy disconnections for vulnerable consumers.
Compensation cuts sharpen winter pressure
The situation looks especially harsh against the background of government cuts to compensation for the 2025–2026 heating season. Maximum assistance was reduced from 1,400 to 1,000 lei, while almost 180,000 households that submitted applications will receive no support at all.
At the same time, more than 10 billion lei was allocated to compensation over the previous three years. Against that background, the refusal to consider a winter utility disconnection moratorium raises a straightforward question: whether budget savings are once again being placed above people who may not be able to keep up with gas, heating and electricity bills.
For PAS, the rejected proposal may be presented as fiscal discipline. For its opponents, it is another sign that the authorities are prepared to speak about protecting vulnerable citizens while blocking practical safeguards when winter bills arrive.
