Brussels, 27 April 2022
“The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail. This is unjustified and unacceptable. And it shows once again the unreliability of Russia as a gas supplier.
We are prepared for this scenario. We are in close contact with all Member States. We have been working to ensure alternative deliveries and the best possible storage levels across the EU. Member States have put in place contingency plans for just such a scenario and we worked with them in coordination and solidarity.
A meeting of the gas coordination group is taking place right now. We are mapping out our coordinated EU response.
We will also continue working with international partners to secure alternative flows. And I will continue working with European and world leaders to ensure the security of energy supply in Europe.
Europeans can trust that we stand united and in full solidarity with the Member States impacted in the face of this new challenge. Europeans can count on our full support.”
The statement is available online in English, and will be available in German, French, Bulgarian and Polish soon.
S&D Group: Gazprom’s interruption of gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland must be met with united and solidary reaction by the EU
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament say it’s crucial that the unity of the European Union is not undermined by any attempts by Russia to create division. In their opinion, the unilateral decision to stop gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland is a clear attempt to put pressure not just on these two member states, but also to weaken and divide the EU as a whole.
Dan Nica, MEP and S&D spokesperson in the committee on industry, research and energy, said:
“It comes as no surprise to our group that Russia is using Gazprom as a leverage against the unity of the EU. This is an old strategy of Moscow that dates back long before the Russian invasion in Ukraine. The statement from Moscow that we hear today is just open blackmailing over member states to pay in roubles, while we all know this is against the clauses of the contracts where it is clearly stated in black and white that payments must be made in euros or in dollars. But, there is also an attempt by Russia to create intrigues among us and force us to undermine our own sanctions and thus strengthen the Russian rouble and the regime in the Kremlin.”
“Our group calls on member states to not give in to the pressure but to do everything in their power to support and compensate the energy losses Poland and Bulgaria are facing. The success of our energy policy is in our solidarity with each other and this has to be demonstrated in practice, especially during dramatic moments of European and world history – like the one we live in now. We have to use all tools at our disposal on an EU level to make sure the attempts of third countries to create shortages of energy resources in the EU has minimum consequences to our citizens and business.”
Source – S&D Group
Renew Europe: The EU’s answer to Putin’s gas blackmail must be unity and solidarity
April 27, 2022
The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns today’s decision by the Russian energy giant Gazprom to halt gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria and calls on the EU Member States to show solidarity and not to give in to Putin’s blackmail and attempts to destabilise us.
The European Union must stay united and all EU countries should observe the sanctions imposed on Moscow, including not to make payments in Rubles. Renew Europe repeats its calls for an embargo on Russian oil and gas, accompanied by a strategy based on solidarity and investments in alternative energy sources.
Renew Europe MEP, Bernard Guetta (Renaissance Delegation, France), shadow rapporteur on Russia, said:
“By closing the gas taps to Poland and Bulgaria, Mr Putin probably imagines that he is weakening and dividing the European Union. The opposite will happen. Since he cannot even be expected to honour a commercial contract, the EU will no longer hesitate to impose an embargo on Russian gas. Mr Putin’s political blindness is unparalleled.”
MEP Martina Dlabajová (ANO, Czech Republic), Renew Europe’s coordinator in the committee on Industry, Research and Energy, added:
“As a political family we have been calling for a swift adoption of the sanctions against the Russian regime since the first day of Putin‘s aggression against Ukraine. Our priority is to starve the regime of its resources and there the EU has to stand united. Putin is trying to divide us and we need to stay united more than ever.”
Source – Renew Europe
Claudia Kemfert: „”Gas-Lieferstopp auch für Deutschland nun wahrscheinlicher”
Russland hat angekündigt, ab heute kein Gas mehr nach Polen und Bulgarien zu liefern. Dazu eine Einschätzung von Claudia Kemfert, Energieökonomin und Leiterin der Abteilung Energie, Verkehr, Umwelt im Deutschen Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin):
Es ist derzeit nicht mit Versorgungsengpässen zu rechnen, da Deutschland und Europa ausreichend mit Gas versorgt sind. Polen hat sich auf diese Situation seit langer Zeit vorbereitet und wird in erster Linie durch Flüssiggaslieferungen versorgt, norwegische Gaslieferungen kommen zudem künftig hinzu. Bulgarien ist sehr abhängig von russischen Gaslieferungen und wird über den europäischen Verbund Hilfe benötigen. Auch dort ist kurzfristig mit keinen Versorgungsengpässen zu rechnen, da die bulgarische Regierung vorgesorgt hat und die Gasspeicher ausreichend gefüllt sind.
Europa und auch Deutschland sollten sich nicht erpressen lassen, sondern auf Vertragseinhaltung bestehen und die Gaslieferungen wie vereinbart bezahlen. Ein Gas-Lieferstopp seitens Russlands ist auch für Deutschland wahrscheinlicher geworden. Deutschland muss sich vorbereiten und alles dafür tun, um die Versorgungssicherheit zu gewährleisten. Deutschland muss verstärkt aus anderen Ländern Gas beziehen, im Sommer die Gasspeicher füllen und sich auch durch verstärkte Energieeinsparungen auf den nächsten Winter vorbereiten.
Source – DIW