Industry and Infrastructure Minister Antosii on July 12 said that Moldova may charge transit charges on electricity produced in Ukraine. In the current dispute over the price of electricity supplied by Ukraine to Moldova, Kyiv insists on an immediate price hike of about 40 percent, while Moldova is willing to accept an increase phased in over two years. Ukrainian officials have accused Moldova of "stealing" power, a suggestion that Antosii dismissed as "groundless." Transit fees by Moldova would affect supplies of electricity to the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa that pass through Moldova. Antosii said that Moldova has never charged transit fees for electricity to Odesa. In the first quarter of 2007, Ukraine met 62 percent of Moldova's power needs.
