Energy crisis: Habeck criticizes "moon prices" for gas - and urges solidarity in Washington

Created: 07/10/2022 08:43

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck criticizes some countries supplying natural gas.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) would like to see more solidarity from friendly countries in the gas crisis.

Berlin – The energy crisis is affecting Germany.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has now accused some supplying states of natural gas of excessive prices.

“Some countries, including friendly ones, sometimes achieve moon prices.

Of course, that brings with it problems that we have to talk about," Habeck told the

.

He is counting on the EU Commission to talk about this with the friendly states.

Habeck: EU must “bundle its market power” in the gas crisis

The Green politician mentioned the United States in this context.

“The US approached us when oil prices skyrocketed, and Europe's national oil reserves were tapped as a result.

I think such solidarity would also be good for curbing gas prices," Habeck said, referring to the government in Washington.

According to the minister, the EU should "bundle its market power and orchestrate smart and synchronized purchasing behavior by the EU states so that individual EU countries do not outbid each other and drive up world market prices".

The European market power is "enormous" and only has to be used.

Energy crisis: Lützerath is to give way to coal mining

During the energy crisis, Habeck had to announce the painful news for the Greens that climate-damaging coal-fired power plants would be taken out of reserve.

Two nuclear power plants are also scheduled to run longer than planned, until the first quarter of 2023.

Nu also became known: The settlement of Lützerath, which is a symbol of the climate protection movement, is to be demolished in order to mine coal there.

These are the cornerstones of an agreement presented on Tuesday between the Federal Ministry of Economics, the green NRW Ministry of Economic Affairs and the energy company RWE.

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Minister complains about high gas prices: Robert Habeck takes the citizens for fools

Criticism of this came from climate protectors: "No other German company has fueled the climate crisis as much as RWE and now the Greens of all people have been shown by RWE," said climate protection activist Luisa Neubauer to the

.