Tough battle in the crucial Summit of ’27’ for the energy complexes – The positions of K. Mitsotakis

By Dimitris Gatsios

Athens is now preparing for the… tough battle of the extraordinary Summit of the “27” leaders of the European Union, on May 30 and 31.

… With a dominant discussion menu on the Brussels agenda, the next steps to be taken in order to “give common answers to a common European problem” and with the date of the end of the deep energy crisis unknown, the Prime Minister continues to broadcast to all tons, its own clear messages about the need for immediate action to shield households and businesses against the λι rally of price increases. The government has supported consumers with the new national plan, however, as executives observe, this does not negate the need for additional assistance from Europe. An aid either financially (by recycling loans from the Recovery Fund) or by a more drastic intervention in the gas market. And the discussions at the “27” Summit are expected to be complex and decisive in terms of the next steps, with concerns not only about the duration but also about the… blows that the energy crisis may cause to continue to grow.

“In the short term, we need to differentiate ourselves from Russian gas, but we also need to be aware of the fact that we are currently under pressure. We are paying for gas in Russia at very high prices. And they do not reflect the fundamental principles of the market. “And that is why I supported the idea of ​​some kind of ceiling on the wholesale gas market in Europe. And I will bring this proposal back to the level of the European Council”, noted Mr. Mitsotakis, in the discussion he had with his president World Economic Forum, Børge Brende, in Davos, Switzerland. Athens is heading to the 27 critical meeting of the “27” in Brussels with the clear position that the European family should adopt specific measures-cushion in the effort to support the economies and consumers. “We have to see what we will do tomorrow, next month, the next three months. What will we do in the winter to be able to support citizens? We have come up with a very strong, I believe, package of measures to support households and businesses. “But in terms of electricity prices, Europe really needs to do more in this area,” he said.

All this at a time when the significant increases in the price of gas are causing dizziness in the Member States, but also further concern for millions of consumers. Against this backdrop of the explosive cocktail, it becomes clear that the forthcoming Extraordinary Summit of the “27” leaders is acquiring critical features in terms of the joint actions to be taken, aiming at a common response to a pattern similar to European pandemic interventions. . Athens continues, together with the countries of the South, to push for immediate responses to the… energy complexes. “No national budget in any European country can lift the burdens caused by the explosion in the energy market, which is, unfortunately, constantly ignited by the fire of the Russian invasion. It is therefore absolutely essential that the next Summit “strengthening the productive fabric of our states but also of all European citizens, of the households that after the pandemic are besieged by international price increases”, Mr. Mitsotakis has already stressed. The Greek capital bets a lot on the common pace with Rome, Madrid and Lisbon. However, the tactics to be followed by the so-called and “sparing” countries of the European North keep the scene in the “heart” of the European Union fluid, in a momentum that (on the horizon is coming to capture (based on current data) a difficult energy Autumn and an even harsher Winter.