Moldova declares state of emergency as risk of Russian gas cutoff looms

Moldova's parliament voted early on Friday to impose a national state of emergency for 60 days starting on December 16 due to an expected cut-off of Russian gas supplies from January 1, reported from Reuters.

Fifty-six members in the 101-seat chamber backed the measure in the vote just after midnight following Prime Minister Dorin Recean's call for approval to ensure Moldova's separatist Transdniestria region secured the gas it needed.

It was a vote, he said, to end "gas blackmail" from Moscow.

Declaring a state of emergency allows the government to respond rapidly and curb energy exports.

Moldova receives Russian natural gas via Ukraine, which has said it will not extend its transit contract with Russian gas giant Gazprom. The contract expires on Dec. 31.

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