Transnistria reintroduces state of emergency over gas supply reduction

Moldova's separatist unrecognised Transnistria republic has reintroduced a state of economic emergency due to a reduction in natural gas supplies, with local authorities planning to restrict gas consumption for industrial users while prioritising households, NewsMaker reported on December 15.

The region has frequently instituted such a regime throughout the year, amid unstable gas supplies under a new arrangement with its Russian sponsors.

Since February, the pro-Russian separatist region has been supplied with gas purchased from the European market by a Hungarian trader paid by subsidies extended by Russia. The mechanism replaced the gas supplies made by Gazprom to Moldova, distributed by the authorities in Chisinau to the separatist region, therefore generating no revenues to the Russian company. Moldova, other than the separatist region, is using gas purchased from the free market after it abandoned Russian supplies two years ago.

Amid the restrictions announced on December 15, the employees of three large enterprises in the separatist region have been placed on temporary unemployment. These are the Râbnița Cement Plant, the Tirotex textile plant, and the Râbnița Metallurgical Plant.

The decision was taken by Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky amid "worsening supply conditions". According to local media, in the separatist region, the decree declaring the emergency must be signed by Krasnoselsky and then submitted to the Supreme Council of the unrecognised Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic for consideration.

Minister of Economic Development of Transnistria Sergei Obolonik explained that the current problems were linked to “a decrease in the rate of settlement transactions within the European Union”. He said the authorities were taking all possible measures to stabilise supplies and restore normal gas deliveries.

“For now, the priority is to ensure gas supplies for the population,” Obolonik said, adding that industrial enterprises may be required to limit fuel consumption during the emergency period.

A state of emergency had previously been declared for the first time in Transnistria on December 11, 2024, following a reduction and subsequent cessation of natural gas supplies to the region.

In January 2025, the region faced prolonged disruptions after Russia halted gas supplies to the unrecognised republic. The region experienced more than a month without gas, heating or hot water, alongside rolling power outages.

Following negotiations, Chisinau and Tiraspol agreed on a so-called Hungarian scheme for gas supplies. Under the arrangement, gas was delivered by the Hungarian company MET through Moldovagaz, with payments reportedly made by a Dubai-based company. Tiraspol said the scheme was financed through a Russian loan.

At the time, it was reported that up to 3mn cubic metres of gas per day would be supplied, a volume described as sufficient only for critical needs such as heating, electricity generation and food production. One of the conditions set by Chisinau was that the gas would not be used for industrial production.

Despite this, regional authorities later announced an early end to the heating season and the resumption of operations at major industrial enterprises, which form the backbone of the Transnistrian budget. In June, reports again emerged of gas supply problems and the reintroduction of a state of emergency.