Moldovan energy minister says free loan contract concluded with Lukoil for administration of assets at Chisinau Airport

A free loan contract on November 12 was concluded with the company Lukoil for the administration of the Airport assets, and throughout the day of November 13, the process of handing over the assets took place. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu has made statements to this effect.

According to him, the free loan contract will allow the provision of kerosene and represents an emergency solution to ensure the stability of aircrafts’ supply, in the context of the risk that, starting from November 21, the company Lukoil may be unable to supply and operate.

At the same time, Junghietu said that he had negotiated with a Romanian company for the sale of fuel to the Airport for the immediate period. "The export is set to be approved today. On this period, the Chisinau International Airport (AIC) will be responsible for operating the oil terminal. The next step will be the purchase by AIC of the airport assets and infrastructure from Lukoil's ownership," Junghietu mentioned.

Presently, Lukoil holds about 100 service stations in Moldova. Moreover, there are more operators on the oil market that have various supply chains, both overland from Romania and through Port Giurgiulesti; thus, the market is supplied with fuel and the stocks are stable, the minister specified.

The Council for the Examination of Investments of Importance for State Security (CEIISS) submitted an offer at the end of last week to purchase Lukoil's depot at Chisinau International Airport, so that the state can take over the company's infrastructure and resources. The deadline for this offer is November 17.

The decision comes after the United States Department of the Treasury has recently announced sanctions against major Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft, in order to reduce Moscow's capacity to finance its war effort in Ukraine.