The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova is indignant at the National Agency for Energy Regulation's intention to increase again the natural gas charges and demands abandoning such an idea given that the salaries decreased, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a statement from the trade unions. The trade unions say preventive measures should be taken immediately to protect the population and avoid social tensions that can degenerate into conflicts. They demand convoking the National Commission for Collective Consultations and Negotiations before the new gas tariffs are approved. The Commission should analyze how the prices are formed and consider what social protection measures can be taken, including increasing the minimum salary. The ANRE announced it will adjust the natural gas, electric power and heat charges at a public meeting on May 14. Earlier, the gas supplier SA Moldovagaz submitted an application to the ANRE, asking that the average selling price for end-users be raised by 14.1%, from 3 542 lei/1 000 m3 to 4 042 lei/1 000 m3 (without the VAT of 6%). It invoked the higher purchase price of the Russian natural gas in the second quarter of 2010, the fluctuation of the exchange rate of the national currency, the increase in the costs of maintaining the gas pipelines following the rise in the minimum guaranteed salary in the real sector of the economy, and the financial losses sustained in the first quarter of this year. The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova is indignant at the National Agency for Energy Regulation's intention to increase again the natural gas charges and demands abandoning such an idea given that the salaries decreased, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a statement from the trade unions. The trade unions say preventive measures should be taken immediately to protect the population and avoid social tensions that can degenerate into conflicts. They demand convoking the National Commission for Collective Consultations and Negotiations before the new gas tariffs are approved. The Commission should analyze how the prices are formed and consider what social protection measures can be taken, including increasing the minimum salary. The ANRE announced it will adjust the natural gas, electric power and heat charges at a public meeting on May 14. Earlier, the gas supplier SA Moldovagaz submitted an application to the ANRE, asking that the average selling price for end-users be raised by 14.1%, from 3 542 lei/1 000 m3 to 4 042 lei/1 000 m3 (without the VAT of 6%). It invoked the higher purchase price of the Russian natural gas in the second quarter of 2010, the fluctuation of the exchange rate of the national currency, the increase in the costs of maintaining the gas pipelines following the rise in the minimum guaranteed salary in the real sector of the economy, and the financial losses sustained in the first quarter of this year.