Corruption and the energy system in Moldova are interdependent. The underground activity makes up 5-10% of the turnover in Moldova's energy sector, which is assessed at over 10 billion lei. This conclusion is contained in the study “Energy Sector: Corruption or Poor Government” carried out by Transparency International-Moldova (TI). The study was presented during a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo on February 9. The aim of the study was to analyze the factors that generate corruption in the energy sector and to formulate recommendations and proposals for preventing corruption in this field. Study author Nicolae Mogoreanu, president of the Association of Energy Consumers of Moldova and lecturer at the Technical University, said Moldova's energy sector during the last few years saw a series of manifestations of corruption generated by the imperfection of the legislation regulating this sector. According to him, corruption manifests itself when groups of interest are engaged in managing the import and export of energy resources, in the limitation of competition, lack of transparency, including when making decisions to adopt and justify the tariffs of energy resources.. According to Mogoreanu, the shortcomings in the legislation and the existing corruption practices proliferate corruption in the energy sector and hinder the attraction of foreign investments and assistance. The authors of the study say corruption in the energy sector could be reduced by adjusting the legislation to the international standards and making the process of supplying/transporting energy resources more transparent. The reduction in the number of intermediaries in this process is as important. Lilia Carashchuk, executive directorial of TI Moldova, said everybody should contribute to making the energy sector more efficient. The forecasts show the global energy consumption in several years will rise 1.4 times from the 490 quadrillions of tonnes of fuel consumed yearly at present. According to the Corruption Perception Index by countries' energy intensity, Moldova has a score of 2.8. The scale is from zero (highly corrupt) to ten (highly clean).