ANRE Fines Gazprom Unit $1.9 Million

 Moldova’s energy regulator ANRE has fined a unit of Russia’s Gazprom $1.9 million for not complying with a requirement on the separation of gas transporting activities from those of a supplier, it said on Friday.

ANRE said Moldovatransgaz, a subsidiary of Moldovagaz in which Gazprom owns a 50% stake, had been fined 33.99 million lei ($1.9 million).

Moldovatransgaz said in a statement that it disagreed with ANRE’s decision and planned to challenge it in court.

In its statement, ANRE said the fine on Moldovatransgaz was imposed for its non-compliance with obligations to ensure its independence from Moldovagaz, which supplies natural gas to Moldova.

Wedged between Ukraine and European Union member Romania, Moldova has been pulled between Russia and the West since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Gas supplies have been a longstanding source of tension with Russia.