The Government warns: “We are facing a very harsh winter” – Onda Cero

READ MORE Luis Planas, on the possible mobilizations this fall: “There is concern” The Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, has been very forceful when it comes to predicting what the next winter will be like in Europe in the context of the crisis due to the War from Ukraine. Speaking to RNE, Robles stressed “we must be prepared for what may happen” and that the outlook is “very pessimistic” ahead of a long, complicated and “extremely tough” winter. After six months of war, the minister explained that military analyzes foresee a long and exhausting war, similar to the First World War, and has accused Putin of even violating the “rules of war” after failing in his anticipation of conquering the Ukraine in a few days. The concern in Europe continues to be in the energy crisis that is taking place and that aims to increase during the winter months, due to the great dependence that many countries have on Russian gas. “I think we are not very aware that the winter is going to be very hard. Putin is already doing it, but he is going to use the gas supply cuts. At this moment Putin cannot win this battle and we have to prepare ourselves. We are going to have a winter of great suffering and in Europe what we have to do is lend a hand”, he explained. Ribera rules out energy rationing in Spain For her part, the Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, has ruled out that next winter there will be energy rationing in Spain, a situation that could occur in countries such as Germany or Austria. “The (energy) ration cards, unfortunately, may become a reality in countries as important as Germany or Austria this coming winter. Not in our case. We have provided measures to reduce redundant consumption. We do not need to illuminate a shop window for at night or having the thermostat above or below the comfort temperature”, Ribera highlighted in an interview on Telecinco, making a clear allusion to the energy saving decree that must be approved these days in Congress. The energy saving decree, “capital” This Thursday the decree of energy saving measures that Ribera considers “capital” to be carried out for next winter is voted on in Congress. “Since August 1, the European Commission has been accounting for how we are saving, in principle on a voluntary basis, all member states. Therefore, it is important to have adopted these measures that work on the previous experience of basic standards in air conditioning or on the lighting of shop windows at night,” explained Ribera. However, it will not be easy, since the Government does not yet have the necessary support to approve it. The Minister for the Ecological Transition has criticized that she misses proposals from both the autonomous communities and the rest of the parliamentary groups, pointing out that these “have to generate effects from day one, not for ten years.” Concern over a “hot autumn” The Government looks with concern at the wave of workers’ protests in countries like the United Kingdom, where the mobilizations are paralyzing certain sectors of the country. From the Spanish unions they assure that what is happening in the United Kingdom can be a prelude to what is going to happen in the rest of Europe and Spain if the agreements are not negotiated and wages are increased according to the cost of living due to the inflation. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, explained this Wednesday in ‘More than One’ that “there is concern and problems”. “There are many people who bet that this will get hot this fall”, although he advocates that “the future is to find solutions to problems”. Planas has spoken of aid to the sector, more specifically to the dairy sector, which he considers “priority” for aid. He also assures that “there will be no milk shortage problems” in our country.