High-ranking officials launch construction works of Moldovan-Romanian gas pipeline
Hundreds of people with Moldova’s and the European Union’s flags, came to Central Ungheni city on 27 August, in order to participate, together with Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger, to the launching of the construction works of the Iasi (Romania) – Ungheni (Moldova) gas pipeline, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.
«When the Ungheni-Iasi gas pipeline is going to be opened, an event scheduled for 2014, we will have an additional way of importing natural gas. At the same time, we wish to create the necessary conditions in order to exploit to maximum the pipe’s capacities. Together with the EU and the Romanian partners, we have started up the preparations for the project’s next stage, including the expanding of the gas pipeline to Chisinau», – Leanca said.
Leanca specified that the gas pipeline would consolidate Moldova’s energy security both at regional and local levels and would provide the possibility of creating new jobs – a priority of the government for the first 100 days.
At the same time, Gunther Oettinger said that the gas pipeline had a strategic importance for both countries: „Moldova’s integration into the European gas market does not stop here. The second stage means the infrastructure’s modernisation and is meant to bring the European gas also to Moldova’s capital. The European Commission is willing to financially back various interconnection projects between the Republic of Moldova and Romania”.
After the launching, all three officials gave the start to the construction works of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline.
Subsequently, the officials participated in the Siret-Prut-Dniester Euroregion’s forum.
Victor Ponta and Gunther Oettinger paid an official visit to Moldova, at an invitation by Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca.
The grant contract for the construction of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, in amount of 7 million euros and financed by the European Union, was signed by the Management Authority of the Joint Operational Programme Romania-Moldova-Ukraine 2007-2013 and the Romanian National Agency for Mineral Resources on 8 August 2013. Moldova has received 3 million euros for the gas networks interconnection. The gas networks interconnection between Romania and Moldova, via the Ungheni-Iasi gas pipeline, is an energy project, designed to respond to Moldova’s needs to ensure its energy security, as well as a trade alternative of natural gas supply. According to the project, the gas pipeline’s capacity will allow the transportation of a volume of gas of 0,5 billion m3 per year at first stage and of 1,5 billion m3 at the second stage.
The works’ completion is planned for late 2013. The launch of the construction of the Iahi-Ungheni gas pipeline is one of Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca’s commitments for the first 100 days.
Adapted from moldpres