IMF, EC, WB agreed on the postponement of gas market liberalization

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission and the World Bank (WB) have agreed on the postponement of gas market liberalisation for households and on the deadlines proposed by the Romanian side, Minister-delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu told Agerpres on Saturday. 

The minister held talks on this topic with the foreign financiers on Friday in Brussels. 

"The financiers have agreed on putting on hold the liberalisation schedule and on the deadlines we have suggested," Nicolescu said. 

In early Sept., Nicolescu said he will request the Brussels authorities to allow a halt in the rise in household prices for domestic natural gas until July 1, 2016 and an extension until July 1, 2021 from December 31, 2018 of the liberalisation deadline. 

Under the liberalisation schedule undertaken by Romania in 2012 before IMF and EC, the household gas prices should have been increased by 3 percent starting Oct. 1, 2014. Under the same schedule, the prices were to be fully liberalised as from Dec. 31, 2018.

Developed by Codecraftsman