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Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (Christian Democratic Union) called Russia “a reliable partner, responsibly approaching the fulfillment of obligations under gas contracts.” This was reported with reference to the dpa news agency on Saturday, October 16, by the German newspaper Die Welt.
According to the politician, against the background of rising gas prices, “the need for the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline has become even more pronounced than before.” “Representatives of leading German oil and gas companies have confirmed to me that Russian suppliers are fully fulfilling their export obligations,” added the Prime Minister of Saxony. He also noted that Russia is making a significant contribution to ensuring the energy security of Germany and the EU.
“The gas crisis has shown us that a reliable energy supply does not happen by itself. We are faced with an energy hunger in Asia, increased demand in this region, followed by a rise in prices in Europe, ”said Kretschmer. According to him, for Saxony, Germany and the EU, partnership with Russia is one of the keys to solving the problem, and not the cause of its occurrence. “We need Russia – especially against the backdrop of global competition for energy security,” Kretschmer summed up. He also added that one of the means, a way to prevent the recurrence of similar crises in the future, should be the earliest possible commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the conclusion of long-term gas contracts.
The politician also criticized that part of the country’s establishment. “Whether there will be a European tour or not, will not be decided by Russia, but by the energy market. If Russian natural gas continues to be cheaper than American LNG, it will find its buyers, ”Kretschmer said.
On Thursday, October 14, the head of the Bundestag Committee on Economics and Energy officially rejected the assertion of non-compliance with Russia’s gas supply contracts. Klaus Ernst… The deputy said that the Federal Government of Germany gave a negative response to a request about the current increase in gas prices caused by the failure of Russian suppliers to fulfill their obligations under the existing agreements. Among the reasons that influenced the situation on energy resources, the politician named an increase in exports to Asia, depletion of reserves after an unusually long heating phase last year, as well as an increase in the tax on emissions of the CO2 market. According to Ernst, the earliest possible commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline could contribute to lower prices.
As a reminder, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak previously announced that Nord Stream 2 is ready to launch in the coming days. According to the policy, the start of supplies, however, will depend on European regulators. The German Federal Grid Agency began examination of Nord Stream 2 AG’s documents for certification by an independent operator only on September 8, and the regulator has four months to prepare a draft decision. The European Commission has two more months to consider the document and make its comments.