BERLIN, 15 Aug – Vice-Chancellor, German Energy Minister Robert Habek expressed hope that gas supplies from Russia would not be completely cut off.
“I hope that this will not happen. But if this happens, we are creating additional opportunities for alternative purchases, for example, liquefied gas infrastructure,” Habek said at a press conference on Monday, answering a question about how a complete cessation of gas supplies from The Russian Federation may affect the government’s plan to introduce an additional tax on gas.
He noted that if gas supplies stop, gas suppliers to end consumers will be able to take advantage of the new scheme for introducing an additional utility tax on gas.
The European Union seeks to diversify imports of energy resources and reduce dependence on the Russian Federation. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly said that Russia has never used gas supplies to punish anyone, but sells fuel solely in its own interests, to increase the welfare of Russians and on a commercial basis.