3 DCFTAs Op-ed No 12/2019, May 2019 The Russian factor in Moldova’s energy insecurity Denis Cenusa 1 A Moldova still struggles to overcome the various handicaps in its energy sector. The de-politicization of the regulatory agency, diversification of supply, and Russia’s monopolistic position, combine to maintain serious distortions in the energy sector and develop new ones. Fully-fledged, top-down liberalization of the energy market remains elusive, hurting the competitiveness of industry and conditions for the final consumer. 1 Researcher and PhD candidate at JLU Giessen University (Germany), Affiliated expert at Expert- Grup (Moldova)