OREANDA-NEWS. Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova Andrei Spinu said that negotiations with Gazprom are continuing for the third day in a row in St. Petersburg.

"The discussions are constructive, we are making intense efforts to find a common ground for the interests of both parties," he wrote on Facebook.

The politician stressed that Chisinau announced its position to the Russian state corporation: the Moldovan side wants to sign a contract on approximately the same terms as it was before. In Moldova, they also believe that the discussion of the payment of the historical debt is possible only after its audit.

According to Spinu, the authorities do not want to choose between "cheap gas" and close relations with the EU. At the same time, if there is no agreement, Moldova will need 800 million euros for energy imports, and it will not be able to cope without the help of European partners, the prime minister added.

The republic purchased fuel from Gazprom under a 2008 contract, which expired on September 30. They could not agree on new conditions and twice extended the agreement for a month. At the same time, the gas price rose to $ 790 per thousand cubic meters. The Russian state corporation is ready to continue gas supplies only on condition that the debt of about $ 700 million is repaid. Otherwise, cooperation may be suspended from December 1.

In October, Chisinau reported that gas consumption temporarily exceeded fuel supplies from Russia. On October 22, the country's parliament introduced a state of emergency in the country due to the energy crisis, so that funds from the budget could be quickly allocated for the purchase of additional volumes of fuel to maintain pressure in the gas pipeline.

Earlier, the Moldovan authorities held four rounds of tenders for the purchase of gas. The first was won by the Polish PGNiG, the second - by the Dutch Vitol, the third - again by PGNiG and the Swiss DXT Commodities, the fourth - by Naftogaz of Ukraine, which will supply 500 thousand cubic meters to partners today.