The price of natural gas will decrease from July 1, regardless of whether the suppliers will do it from now, from July 1 or after that date, and the fact that they now offer the same prices or lower by 2 lei does not mean that things will remain so, said the Minister of Economy, Energy and Business Environment, Virgil Popescu, according to Agerpres. He also said that the government will define the vulnerable consumer by the end of the year.

“We promised through the government program that we will lower prices after liberalization. You will see that from July 1 the price of natural gas will fall … The fact that we promised to define the vulnerable consumer by the end of the year – we will do so. We will keep our word … And we will do it, because on January 1, 2021, when we liberalize the price of electricity, we must be prepared. People who really need support will have it through this vulnerable consumer, this scheme to support the vulnerable consumer,” said Popescu.

He mentioned that he promised to start the investments and, for the first time in the history of the last years, the energy companies have undertaken investment programs for 5 years, with clear terms.

“It is true that this was done following the abrogation of the exemption from the obligation to trade on OPCOM the energy produced by the newly established units – practically by the new investments. This we promised in the government program and we kept. And that means we will stimulate new investments,” said Virgil Popescu. The minister said that negotiations are underway in Brussels and that the program to increase the natural gas distribution network is being finalized. He claimed that Romania has, by redirecting funds from POIM on energy, 200 million euro this year for pilot programs to increase the smart natural gas network.