---
title: "Chisinau tightens heating subsidy criteria to curb informal economy "
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/84275/chisinau-tightens-heating-subsidy-criteria-to-curb-informal-economy
published: 2026-09-02T12:16:37Z
language: en
author: "Nicoleta Borodin"
section: "Economic"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Chisinau tightens heating subsidy criteria to curb informal economy 

> Moldova's government is seeking external donor funding for upcoming winter heating subsidies after allocating only €27.4 million (approx. 550 million MDL) in the state budget, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said on Wednesday.

![colaj TRM](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/3500f97b-eb83-47d5-b5de-04de3543683d.jpg)

*Sursa: colaj TRM*

Moldova's government is seeking external donor funding for upcoming winter heating subsidies after allocating only €27.4 million (approx. 550 million MDL) in the state budget, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Sept. 2, Tofan explained that the initial allocation earmarked for 2026 is not necessarily final. Authorities are actively negotiating with international partners to secure supplementary financing to support vulnerable households through the cold season.

**Crackdown on informal income**

To maximize the impact of limited public resources, the government plans to enforce stricter eligibility criteria aimed at excluding affluent households operating within the shadow economy.

*“We understand that we live in a country where tax evasion still exists,”* Tofan said. *“There are people working off the books who own two cars and large houses, yet report negligible official earnings and still claim subsidies.”*

The prime minister instructed Minister of Labor and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru to broaden indirect means-testing indicators. These checks will examine high-value real estate holdings, registered motor vehicles, bank deposits, and declared dividend distributions.

*“Many of these criteria were applied in previous years, but we have now made them stricter and broader to ensure funding reaches those in genuine need,”* Tofan said.

**Narrowing the beneficiary pool**

Official data shows a steady contraction in subsidy recipients as energy support schemes undergo rationalization. During the 2022–2023 winter season, authorities supported 895,000 households out of approximately 900,000 applicants.

By the 2024–2025 season, the number of beneficiary households dropped to roughly 621,000, representing around 75% of total applicants.

*“The challenge for the government is to ensure that those who genuinely need assistance receive it, and receive it as generously as possible,”* Tofan said.

Tofan stressed that maintaining fiscal discipline remains imperative amid broader budget constraints.

*“We have a duty to safeguard public money,”* the prime minister said. *“We must manage budget resources responsibly because we simply cannot afford to borrow merely to finance consumption at year-end.”*

He added that the state will not tolerate abuses of the welfare safety net.

*“We will not use public funds to subsidize unscrupulous individuals who conceal their real earnings while claiming heating assistance,”* Tofan said.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection is finalizing the regulatory framework for the upcoming season, with comprehensive guidelines scheduled for release in the coming days.

The announcement follows remarks Tofan made on Aug. 25 on public broadcaster Moldova 1, where he warned that full state coverage of household heating bills would cost approximately €189.3 million (approx. 3.8 billion MDL).

*“Covering every service entirely would cost around €189.3 million, funds that the government simply does not possess,”* Tofan said at the time. *“Our challenge now is targeting aid strictly to those facing acute hardship.”*

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**