MEP Vasile Blaga (PNL, EPP) calls for the European Union’s energy independence from the Russian Federation to be made urgent, as the military aggression in Ukraine is a “real wake-up call” for every member state.
“The war in Ukraine has undoubtedly changed not only the European Union’s energy policy, but also national energy policies, especially as regards imports from the Russian Federation. Germany is the most obvious example, especially by abandoning the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project for gas imports from Russia. Basically, the military aggression in Ukraine is a real wake-up call for the European Union and every Member State”, said the MEP in an official statement, delivered to CaleaEuropeană.ro.
According to the MEP, a new EU and national energy strategy – of each individual Member State – must take into account not only the immediate reaction to the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine, but especially the medium and long-term future of the Union’s energy independence from Russia: “In short – the European Union and its Member States must never again depend on the energy resources of the Russian Federation. The European Union now has a clear picture of dependence on Russia which translates into an instrument of blackmail by an aggressive regime against the democratic world.”
“Never before has the EU spoken more unanimously than now about the urgency of giving up imports of gas, oil and coal from Russia. It is unrealistic to expect this to happen overnight, you can’t fix bad policy decisions perpetuated over years and years by snapping your fingers. But there is an unprecedented mobilisation across the European institutions, at political and administrative level, to reduce Russia’s energy dependence to zero as quickly as possible, with large investments in building LNG depots and terminals, rapid energy interconnections between Member States, the search for alternative markets and more. On the other hand, Romania has a duty to do its homework and use its natural resource potential,” he added in his statement.
