CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2023) The Moldovan government approved the creation of an energy ministry, specifying the structure of the new department during a session on Tuesday as the nation continues to struggle with a serious energy crisis, newly appointed Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said.
Moldova has a state of emergency regime, declared, among other things, due to the energy crisis caused by problems with gas shortages and a sharp rise in energy prices. The new Moldovan government led by Prime Minister Dorin Recean was formed on February 16. Parlicov, the former head of the national energy regulatory agency, also entered the cabinet as an energy minister, despite the fact that the relevant ministry did not exist. On Tuesday, the cabinet members unanimously approved documents on the ministry's creation.
"The Ministry of Energy will become a new structure, it will take over the entire energy agenda from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. This also applies to the supply of energy resources, energy efficiency, renewable energy, heat energy, electricity, natural gas, oil products," Parlicov said.
The minister specified that the central office of the department will include 60 people, as well as three state secretaries and one secretary general will work at the ministry. Seven people will move from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development to the Energy Ministry.
Recean said that the energy sector was very important for the Moldovan business environment, for small and medium enterprises, as well as for large investments. He also stressed the importance of cooperation between the Energy Ministry, the Environment Ministry and other departments.
In early December, Moldovan President Maia Sandu directed the government to take urgent measures to reorganize the energy sector to solve the long-lasting crisis. One option was to create the Energy Ministry as a separate entity.
