Moldova is struggling with drought and energy crisis: political tensions are increasing

Where water normally flows, there are only stones covered with a brown-gray mass: dried out aquatic plants. The edges of the Dniester riverbed have not seen water for weeks. In some places there are dead fish among the mass of algae. This can be seen in a report by the Moldovan medium Newsmaker.

Moldova, the small country between Romania and Ukraine, is suffering from severe drought. Environment Minister Gheorghe Hadjder states a "critical situation at the regional level on all rivers in the region", and this affects not only the Dniester, but also the Danube and the Pruth.

The Dniester rises in Ukraine and crosses Moldova on its way to the Black Sea. According to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), its water is important for supplying the capital Chisinau.

According to the Moldovan online media Moldova Libera, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said a few days ago that there could soon be supply shortages.

Low incomes - high prices

In addition to a water shortage, there is an energy crisis in the country. The state is almost entirely dependent on energy imports. Recently, energy prices have risen sharply because of the war between Iran and the USA, says Sergiu Tofilat, energy expert at the Moldovan think tank WatchDog.

In Moldova, citizens basically pay the same price for gas or electricity as European consumers, Tofialt explains to ARD. However, the income of Moldovan consumers is two to three times lower - that is "the core problem". The government fears that high bills could lead to households becoming indebted.

Pro-Russia groups bring Putin into play

How serious the situation is became clear a few days ago. Parliament passed a 60-day energy emergency with a large majority. This should allow the government to ration and distribute energy or water if necessary.

At the same time, Sergiu Tofilat notes political instrumentalization by the opposition. There are pro-Russian politicians who suggest “very friendly” asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply gas. The Russian energy company Gazprom is no longer able to supply Moldova with gas.

Because there is only one pipeline left to supply Moldova with gas - the Turk Stream pipeline via Turkey. However, Gazprom has fully booked its capacity in order to fulfill its contractual obligations to Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia. So it wouldn't have enough capacity to supply Moldova with gas.

Tofilat demands that the population receive financial support. For the upcoming winter, Moldova is dependent on funds from the EU, said the energy expert.

Sandu continues to rely on the EU

In parliament, the opposition is trying to increase the pressure on the pro-European government and the president. She accuses President Sandu of being responsible for a worsening of Moldova's situation. They therefore want to remove 46 opposition politicians from office. However, they lack the necessary support from the government factions.

Sergiu Tofilat from the think tank WatchDog thinks this is a kind of showcase policy that is only intended to simulate activity. "In fact, the pro-Russian opposition and Russian propaganda are trying to exploit people's dissatisfaction with high prices and blame it on the government."

President Sandu rejected the opposition's allegations to French radio station Radio France International. She has the trust of 930,000 citizens and will continue her mandate.