The right to fix the heating charges will be transferred to the National Agency for Energy Regulation. The Government approved the necessary modifications to a number of legislative documents, Info-Prim Neo reports. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said the fact that the heating charges are fixed by the municipal councils made this process a highly politicized one. Chisinau is a relevant example. He also said that the tariffs on heat and other energy resources must be justified from economic viewpoint and must cover the cost of producing power. On the other hand, the vulnerable groups must be supported by the state. “Termocom owes money to the thermoelectric power plants, while the thermoelectric power plants to Moldovagaz. In the height of winter, we can accumulate a debt of US$65 million to Gazprom and could be disconnected from the gas supply. When the investors hear about such debts, they avoid Moldova's energy sector, which needs large investments,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. The Government also proposes strengthening the autonomy of the independent energy regulator, ANRE. The director of the ANRE will be named by the Parliament. The regulator's budget will be approved also by the legislative body so as to avoid possible pressure on the part of the Government and conflicts of interest as the executive founded the thermoelectric power plants through the Ministry of Economy and owns a major holding in Moldovagaz. Valeriu Lazar also said that all the changes will be adopted by the Parliament during the next two weeks.