The government will cap the price of firewood at 400 lei per cubic meter, a decision expected by more than 3 million households, Prime Minister Nicolae Chuke announced on Wednesday. The new ceiling is lower than the price of 500 lei per cubic meter provided by the draft emergency decree on the executive agenda.

“Today, the Government will make a decision to limit prices for firewood. More than 3 million households that use firewood are waiting for such a decision. We will decide that the price of firewood will be capped at 400 lei per cubic meter, 1500 lei per ton for wood briquettes and 2000 lei for pellets. Prices include VAT,” Prime Minister Nicolae Chuke said on Wednesday.

When asked by journalists what is the correct value, the 400 lei announced by the Prime Minister or the 500 lei provided by the GEO project at the government meeting, the government representatives stated:

“At the request of Prime Minister Chuka, the price per cubic meter of wood will be limited to 400 lei,” government officials said.

Prime Minister Nicolae Chuke also stated that, taking into account the situation in which the Republic of Moldova found itself regarding the provision of energy resources, and as a sign of solidarity with the citizens of Moldova, the government will approve assistance with firewood in the amount of 130 thousand cubic meters on Wednesday. meters

The limitation of firewood prices is provided by an emergency decree that is on the agenda of the Victoria Palace on Wednesday, about the project that HotNews.ro previously wrote about.

Artificial increase in the price of wood: it is also resold for more than 700 lei/m3

The government is preparing a draft of an emergency decree to limit firewood prices after the discovery of a series of artificial price increases, as well as to protect the population in the energy crisis.

• “In Romania, more than 3 million households are heated with wood or wood products, and in rural areas, the number of households where wood is used as a means of heating is more than 2.5 million households and represents 85.00% of households registered in rural areas, rural households with incomes below the national average. (..)
• Furthermore, taking into account the gap between the incomes of the population compared to the EU average and given that they are below the EU average, the standard of living adjusted for local prices is 72% of the EU average.
• At the same time, it should be taken into account that for the managers/owners of forest funds, producers of firewood/wood pulp for the purpose of firewood, the products are secondary, and the production costs consist of the related part of the costs associated with forestry services in the year, the costs of production and I will prepare
• They are insignificant and allow them to sell firewood/timber for firewood at prices from 60 lei/m3 to 543 lei/m3. But currently, prices exceeding 700 lei/m2 have been recorded in DIY/intermediary networks,” this is shown in the explanatory note to the GEO project.

SEE DRAFT GEO AND KEYNOTE HERE

What price ceilings for firewood are provided by the GEO project

The draft GEO act proposes:

• Limitation of final prices in invoices a maximum of 500 lei/m2 with VAT on the following types of wood needed for heating in the cold season: firewood, trimmings, shavings, sawdust.new ceiling 400 lei/m2)
• Setting the limit of final prices in invoices for the following products: wood briquettes – a maximum of 1,500 lei/ton with VAT; wood pellets maximum – 2000 lei/ton with VAT

The regulations apply to end consumers, i.e. natural persons, as well as to the following entities: state and private educational institutions, social service providers, local interests, administrative-territorial units, as well as their subordinate units, religious units.

Measures will be applied until March 31, 2023.

Failure to comply with the provisions will be considered a violation and will be punished fines from 3,000 to 5,000 lei.