Romania has begun supplying electricity to the former Soviet Republic of Moldova as part of an aid package to ease a financial crisis compounded by unseasonably cold weather.

A spokesman for Romania's national electricity company, Conel, said it was currently meeting fifteen percent of Moldova's needs, and that could increase if necessary.

Moldova's deputy prime minister, Valentin Dolganiuc said Romania would receive shares in companies scheduled for privatization in exchange for part of the electricity supplied and the remainder would be paid for by using long term credits.

Ukraine recently stopped most electricity supplies to Moldova because of the lack of an agreement on how to pay for them.