Small companies unhappy with not getting access to cheaper domestic gas

Small entrepreneurs say the decision to provide the chemical industry and the electricity generating one exclusively with gas from domestic production during the June-October period is not fair for their businesses, especially since as a result of the crisis, the locally produced gas is enough to cover national consumption.
On the other hand, though, groups such as Interagro, run by businessman Ion Niculae, which owns six chemical plants, or Azomures benefited from this move.
The Competition Council is siding with small entrepreneurs and says the move equals state aid, particularly in the case of chemical plants. On the other hand, chemical industry officials say they needed this “miracle” to survive.
Through the set criteria, SMEs were excluded, as only large consumers were eligible.
Thus, during the June-October period, the chemical industry and electricity and thermal energy producers could buy gas only from domestic production, namely from Romgaz and Petrom, without being forced to pay for the weight of imports in consumption. In Romania, gas is sold at a basket price, including both the gas import side and the internal production one. At the same time, gas from domestic production is sold domestically at a price recommended by the Romanian energy watchdog ANRE, a price that is half of that of the imported gas. Under the circumstances, the benefits of a move allowing large consumers to buy gas only at the price of domestic production are obvious.
“(…) Gas from domestic production must be provided to absolutely everybody, as Romgaz and Petrom are now producing more gas than is needed. Consumption has plunged. What is happening now is not fair,” says Vladimir Cohn, owner of Ecopack Ghimbav and Ecopaper Zarnesti, shareholders in Celhart Donaris Braila.
Florin Pogonaru, chairman of the Association of Businesspeople in Romania (AOAR), also supports the need to extend this move to all companies.