Parliament Approves a 60-Day Emergency
Moldova’s parliament approved a 60-day state of emergency for the country’s energy and water sectors. The measure passed by a 54-20 vote in the 101-seat legislature, while 22 lawmakers did not cast ballots. It will take effect Saturday and is intended to help authorities respond more quickly to supply risks.
Officials acted as severely low water levels and higher energy costs created overlapping pressure. President Maia Sandu had chaired a National Security Council meeting a day earlier to examine the international energy crisis and strengthen national resilience before winter.
Low River Levels Threaten Water Supplies
The Environment Ministry reported a severe hydrological deficit on the Dniester and Prut rivers. Both are important to Moldova’s water supply, with particular concern focused on the Dniester. Temporary measures may be introduced when needed to preserve access to water.
Flows into Ukraine’s upstream Novodnistrovsk reservoir were about 22 cubic meters per second, according to Prime Minister Vasile Tofan. He said the minimum needed was 60 cubic meters per second. Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder warned that restrictions on nonessential water use may become necessary.
Energy Costs Add Pressure Before Winter
Moldova relies heavily on imported natural gas and electricity. Tofan described drought, conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and damaged refineries as a “perfect storm.” He said those pressures have raised costs and strained the energy sector. Existing alerts in both sectors have been in place since July and expire Friday.
The prime minister said the country was not facing an immediate loss of gas, diesel, electricity, or water. Instead, the danger comes from several major risks converging as the cold season approaches. The emergency gives the government more flexibility to intervene if those pressures intensify.
Earlier disruptions showed Moldova’s exposure to events in neighboring Ukraine. In March, Russian strikes disconnected a major power line linking Moldova with Romania. Another strike on the Novodnistrovsk hydropower plant caused pollution in the Dniester and left thousands of Moldovans without water.
References
The Associated Press. (2026, September 22). Moldova to impose 60-day energy and water emergency due to drought and rising costs. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/moldova-energy-europe-emergency-a73f807a2a7c2ccd38258d49ac1fbbd3