Heger threatens Germany: If tougher European measures are not taken, we will withhold the electricity you bought from us – Denník N

The EU member states have agreed on milder measures to fight the energy crisis, but this is not enough for Slovakia. EU ministers approved the redistribution of profits in the energy sector and the electricity savings plan. They plan to use the money taken from energy companies to support vulnerable groups of the population and businesses or to finance austerity measures. A key issue still remains unresolved – the capping of gas prices in such a way that the price of electricity falls and at the same time the supply of gas during the winter is not threatened. Measures were taken in Brussels on Friday to combat high energy prices, which the cabinet of Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger is not satisfied with. He threatened that if the European Union does not agree on tougher measures, Slovakia may withhold the electricity purchased from Slovak power plants by foreign traders, especially from Germany. Germany is one of the countries that has the strongest position against the introduction of price ceilings in the case of natural gas. Slovakia promotes them together with fourteen other countries. They asked the European Commission in a letter this week to draw up a specific legislative proposal on how to do this. However, the Commission sided with Germany’s opinion and at Friday’s meeting of the ministers responsible for energy in Brussels proposed only three less drastic measures, which were finally voted on: A limit of 180 euros per MWh for the income of power plants using cheaper sources than gas. All revenues above this limit can be used by states for their own measures. European energy commissioner Kadri Simson said after the summit that states will be able to set a higher limit. The details still need to be worked out. Plan for mandatory electricity savings in selected times with the highest consumption. The goal is to achieve at least a 5 percent reduction in these sections. The extraordinary income of companies supplying fossil fuels appears at a rate of at least 33%. According to the European Commission’s estimate, the total income from these measures should reach 140 billion euros, which, however, has been questioned by several member states – including Slovak Economy Minister Karel Hirman. Slovakia would not benefit from the limits on the income of power plants, because most of the electricity produced by local producers is already sold at lower prices than are currently on the stock exchanges. Hirman therefore described the Commission’s proposals as bad and the approved measures as insufficient. He was opposed in the vote, but the approval of a qualified majority was sufficient for their approval. According to the Slovak minister, the discussion at the meeting at least took “a more practical direction and the solution is closer to reality”. Karel Hirman at the Friday meeting of ministers responsible for energy in Brussels. Photo – EU However, no one left the Friday summit satisfied. When Oliver Brumm, a correspondent of the Austrian newspaper Die Presse, spoke to European Commissioner Kadri Simson at a press conference, he summarized the situation as follows: “Winter is coming to Europe, a year has passed since the beginning of the energy crisis and you still do not have a legislative proposal.” “I agree that we need to do more, especially on gas prices,” Simson replied. After Friday, her team got one more opportunity to come up with proposals that will also address the reduction of gas prices. Without it, the price of electricity will not fall either. Jozef Síkela, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency, expects the Commission to work at “super speed”. According to him, the member states should receive specific legislative proposals from her before the first Friday of October. At that time, an informal meeting of the leaders of the EU member states takes place in Prague. Heger to German traders: You have unfair profits To read you need at least a standard subscription. Are you a subscriber? Log in