WatchDog.md Community experts conducted a study revealing these conclusions. The research exposes that the Gazprom company collaborated with the Moldovan authorities the gas debt on Moldova’s territory, allegedly increasing it to at least $952 million through abusive actions.

The authors of the research claim that oligarch Veaceslav Platon also contributed to the increase in gas debt by about $5 million.

Through illegal court decisions, Moldovagaz was forced to deliver gas on debt to the glass factory “Cristal-Flor,” controlled by oligarch Platon during 2006-2008. The factory used gas to produce glass cylinders passed on to intermediate companies controlled by Platon. Because the factory did not pay for gas consumption, the debt to Moldovagaz increased from 3.4 million lei in 2006 to 60.5 million lei in 2008,” according to the study.

“The frauds within the administration of the natural gas complex were not investigated. However, President Igor Dodon stated the Moldovan side’s intention to pay off the debt by transmitting gas networks, built from the state budget and money accumulated from Moldovan consumers since 2001. It is about 15,000 km of distribution gas pipelines (or 2/3 of the national gas distribution network), the estimated value of which exceeds twice the share capital of Moldovagaz. Such a decision violates the property right of the consumers. It contravenes four laws, which establish the local councils’ exclusive right regarding the administration of the local patrimony, including the gas networks in the locality.”