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Moldova Ends Energy Bill Aid in April

This month, Moldovan citizens will receive their final compensations for March's thermal and electric energy bills. Issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the compensations will be discontinued starting in May.

The compensations were a government response to rising energy costs in the wake of the Ukraine war and COVID-19 pandemic. Government officials state that the financial aid has proven useful for many Moldovans during the cold winter months.

"Starting in April, citizens will no longer receive compensation for the following month's bills," stated Corina Ajder, state secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, in an interview with Radio Moldova.

Ajder also mentioned that eligibility for this heating season's compensation was determined with greater precision than in previous periods. Discussions within the Ministry of Labor are now focused on establishing the compensation system for the 2024-2025 heating seasons.

"This year we had access to more data sources, allowing us to obtain more detailed information on each household," explained Ajder. "We factored in income data from the tax authorities, for example, as well as data from credit bureaus. We took multiple datasets into careful consideration to accurately determine the needs of each household based on information provided by other state institutions."

Public sentiment toward the compensation program is mixed. Some citizens express gratitude for the assistance, while others felt the compensations were unnecessary.

"The pension is small, so any help is welcome," said one pensioner. "I don't know what will happen in the future."

"I am satisfied with what the government is giving us," said another citizen. "Putin's war and COVID-19 have hit the global economy."

"We didn't apply for the compensation," said one man. "We feel fine, we pay our bills, we work. It's very good for those who can't afford it, it's welcome."

Over 790 thousand citizens filed requests for assistance with their utility bills during the cold period of the year. For two consecutive years, the government has offered energy bill compensations to vulnerable citizens via the online platform compensatii.gov.md. Consumers of natural gas, thermal energy, or electricity for heating received direct reductions on their bills. Those using solid fuels, such as wood or coal, received a fixed monthly payment of 800 lei.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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