Warns those in power: a huge crisis awaits, protests may also come to Lithuania
Linge said when the plan would be delivered
The representative of the authorities, M. Lingė, said in the program “Info comments with Arnu Mazēčius” that residents should save their resources wherever it is possible to do so.
“Residents apparently have two knowledges and two behaviors and choices. One – it is very possible for everyone to change their way of life and review where to save their resources. Because the energy itself is expensive. The more it needs to be created, the more it will cost both people and states,” the policy said.
Another important thing is that “this Government now focuses its attention and concentrates precisely on energy changes and their amortization”.
M. Lingė, the representative of the ruling Union of the Fatherland – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), said that the plan for all assistance to the residents will be presented with next year’s budget.
According to him, it will be delivered earlier than usual, but the Ministry of Finance still has to wait for Monday, when the economic forecasts will be updated.
“We are dependent on what happens in the markets. And to look at what can be done in the short term is to think about the compensation mechanism. The government is preparing a draft budget, which should be used much earlier than next year, this is the projected expectation.
On Monday, the economic forecasts will be updated, which the Ministry of Finance needs to put the finishing touches on,” MP M. Lingė said in the program.
When asked about the specific time when this plan will be presented, the representative of the management M. Lingė assured that it will happen “in the near future”.
“Maybe this is what is needed. We welcome the September coverage”, said MP M. Lingė.
Butkevičius: we can wait only because of the Government’s ignorance
The representative of the opposition Democratic Union “Vardan Lietuvos”, former Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius said in the program “Info comments with Arno Mazėčius” that the Government should have already announced the plan.
“Informing the public and business about what the Government is going to do has raised a lot of questions. Being in the opposition, I don’t want to engage in some kind of populism, but over the weekend I will gather information from all EU countries, where it was available, what has already been done,” said A. Butkevičius.
Addressing the representative of the management, Mr. Linge, he wrote to clearly state two things.
“The first must be a plan to control the energy crisis. And this plan must be adopted quickly and with clear measures. The first is whether lump sum payments will be made to people. Second – will there be business support through loans, guarantees, subsidies for those companies that consume a lot of energy resources. (…) Does the Government understand that there must be state regulation for any deep crisis. Is it preparing to regulate the increase in electricity price tariffs?” A. Butkevičius shared his insights.
The representative of the opposition said that he has a lot of questions. And the adoption of next year’s state budget must have all procedures and will be adopted just before Christmas.
“Now there is talk that it will be done with the budget. Yes, the budget bill is important, it is the most important law. But it will take until Christmas, he will be accepted only then, because all the procedures have to be passed. We are then faced with a number of draft laws submitted by both the opposition and the ruling majority,” he said.
According to opposition representative A. Butkevičius, specific payments to people and their one-time status must be clearly indicated in the mentioned plane.
“One-time payments must be known already in November, we will in October.” If the public does not have specific information… I certainly do not suggest that there will be some kind of social unrest. But just because we don’t know what the Government is going to do and what the Seimas is going to accept, we can get more pickets for that,” former Prime Minister A. Butkevičius shared his insights.
One-time payments, according to him, make it possible to cover part of the more expensive electricity and pay part of the heat bills and higher living costs.
Governments will only discuss the energy saving plan
The governments will discuss the energy saving plan prepared by the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday.
The plan proposes to the state authorities to reduce the indoor temperature to 19 degrees in winter, and to increase it to 27 degrees in summer, to turn off the hot water, to reduce the temperature, in addition, it is proposed to limit the permitted speed on roads to 110 km per hour for two months longer – from October to May .
It is estimated that this would help the state to save about 140-160 GWh of energy, or about 50 million. euros per year.
In addition, it is proposed to allow the employees of those budgetary institutions, state institutions and companies that already apply holidays to work on Fridays and Mondays – this would allow for four days in a row to reduce the temperature in the heating rooms to 17 degrees.
According to preliminary calculations, due to rising energy prices and the state’s costs, which have not taken any measures, for heat and electricity alone this year may reach 250 million. euros. According to Turto banka’s data, in 2021 they were 98 million. euros.
You can find the entire LNK show “Info commentaries with Arno Mazētis” here: