Page 9 - FSUOGM Week 44 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Moldova makes first natural gas

imports through Slovakia

MOLDOVA FOR the first time, Moldova imported natural According to Spinu, the current stocks of
gas in a “reverse system,” from West to East, natural gas, held by Energocom, have currently
Moldova has been through Slovakia, announced Deputy Prime reached 157mn cubic metres. Gazprom will
forced to find alternative Minister Andrei Spinu on November 3. deliver 171mn cubic metres to the country in
suppliers after Gazprom Moldova has been forced to find alternative November — but Moldova proper needs 120mn
cut its deliveries. supplies after Gazprom cut its deliveries. This cubic metres and Transnistria would need dou-
has also affected the electricity market as pre- ble that, in order to provide the necessary elec-
viously Moldova received most of its electricity tricity to the whole country.
from power plants in the separatist Transnistria "What at first sight seemed to destroy us, now
republic. it makes us stronger. As we promised, in soli-
“The myth that the natural gas and light can darity, striving to save energy, we will weather
only come from the Russian Federation has been this winter as well, we will become stronger and
invalidated,” he stated, alluding to an old slogan energy independent," added the deputy prime
from the Communist era, “The light comes from minister.
the East!” Independence is, however, a high target
On November 3, Energocom purchased for the country. Moldova is currently import-
5.6mn cubic metres of natural gas, which were ing some 90% of its electricity from Romania
transferred through the Budnice delivery point after Gazprom halved the gas supplies and the
in Slovakia, on the border with Ukraine. This power plant in separatist Transnistria refused
added to the buffer that Energocom is building to deliver electricity to the territory of Moldova
up. proper. ™
INVESTMENT

Former CEO of Russian petrochemical

major Sibur sells stake

RUSSIA DMITRY Konov, the former CEO of Russian according to a statement from the European
petrochemical major Sibur, no longer holds Court of Justice.
The former boss did 2.59% in the company, he told Interfax on the In the latest exchange with Interfax, Konov
not have the right to sidelines of the Adipec conference in Abu Dhabi. said that the European Council had dropped
buy the stake back, The ex-CEO reportedly does not have the right two out of three criteria which, in the Coun-
reportedly, with to buy back the stake, with no other details cil's view, justified his inclusion on the sanc-
no further details disclosed. tions list. Konov is no longer seen as a person
disclosed. As followed by bne IntelliNews, after being "supporting persons responsible for decisions"
the CEO of Sibur since 2006, in March 2022 on the Ukraine war, nor as someone providing
Konov resigned following his inclusion in the "material assistance to the Russian government”
EU and UK sanctions lists for Russia’s military responsible for the war.
invasion of Ukraine. However, the EC still considers Konov to be
bne IntelliNews profiled Konov as part one of the "leading businessmen working in an
of a group of executive innovators who have industry generating significant revenues for the
reformed post-Soviet private companies into Russian government”.
high-performing players. He is also one of the Konov will continue to argue that the EU's
executives who argue they are not complicit in own definition of a "business person" is pre-
the system and have nothing to do with its war dominantly the founder/owner of a company/
in Ukraine. majority shareholder, which would not apply
Konov filed an appeal against the sanc- to him as an executive and a minority share-
tions placed on him by the European Union, holder. ™

Week 44 07•November•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P9