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Ponta: Romania, by 2018, to produce enough gas for Romania's, Republic of Moldova's consumption
Romania, by 2018, will produce enough natural gas to meet its domestic and the Republic of Moldova's consumption, visiting Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said on opening the construction works on the gas pipeline linking Iasi, Romania to Ungheni, Moldova at Zagarancea rural town, the district of Ungheni on Tuesday.
'When we speak of the electric power, when we speak of natural gas, when we make our strategy, we make it together with Moldova', Ponta said in answering a question put by a Moldovan reporter about whether he does not believe that the pipeline might upset the Kremlin and might hike the gas price.
'When we begin a project, I do not think of who is upset, but of who stands to benefit. If the people in the Republic of Moldova are to benefit, it is very well. Romania too will benefit from it, it is no gift', he answered.
Ponta stressed there is no reason why Russia should be bothered by building this pipeline and he underscored Romania and the Republic of Moldova have very good relations with the 'great neighbour'.
'I think nobody is upset, and if they are... we'll appease them', said Ponta, whose remarks got an applause from the locals attending the ceremony.
His Moldovan counterpart Leanca also said he believed Russia will not get mad, since it knows of his country's European aspirations and recognizes the Republic of Moldova's right to choose the direction of its foreign policy.
'Everything we've done in the last four years was not against somebody, but it was for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and for the Republic of Moldova, so that we might have a European functioning state, one the citizens should have confidence in. Today's project is a natural part of the internal and external foreign policies of the Republic of Moldova, which are known both to the East and to the West and which are aimed at the European integration', Leanca said.
Romania will make efforts to provide to the Republic of Moldova an alternative gas supply source, Prime Minister Victor Ponta declared on Monday in Iasi (about 409 km northeast of Bucharest).
'We will try to provide Moldova with two options, not just one. Otherwise, the prices are regulated on the European market. (...) Following the confirmed offshore exploration drilling in the Black Sea and the shale gas exploration which we hope to see succeeding, Romania's gas production will be enough to entirely cover our domestic needs. From my point of view (...) domestic needs mean Romania and the Republic of Moldova. When we calculate the domestic output at the horizon of 2018 - 2019, we talk of Romania and Moldova. It is important that our domestic production will be able to cover in a few years the entire consumption of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, whereas beginning next year, they will be in a better negotiation position, one is better off when one can opt between two gas sources. With just one possibility there's no negotiation, it's imposition,'' said the Prime Minister.