Wintering on the brink: EU countries hesitate for gas-independence

Wintering on the brink: EU countries hesitate for gas-independence

The gas stores in Germany and the EU are filled, and that before winter! Germany is a pioneer, ready for the cold season and increasingly cares with liquid gas from the USA and Norway. Economic Minister Robert Habeck from the Greens can give the all -clear: a gas deficiency position does not seem to be in sight. But caution is advised, because some countries play with fire and continue to hang dangerously on the Russian gas.

As the International Energy Agency IEA warned in early October, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia are involved in an alarming dependency. These three states still contribute significant amounts of their gas from Russia, which is around a fifth of all EU imports-a decrease of 45 percent in 2021. Even if the gas storage in Austria is filled with 95 percent, the country plays a risky game with geopolitics: Estimates show that up to 83 percent of the needs are covered from Russian gas! The economic consequences could be dramatic if the pipeline fails: end customer prices could increase by up to 20 percent.

Austria, Hungary and Slovakia between gas deficiency and Putin trap

The alarming reports from the EU side increase the pressure on these countries. The EU Energie Commissioner Kadri Simson demands that the dependence on Russian gas reduce not to be delivered to the Kremlin blackmail. Ukraine itself plans not to extend the transit contracts, which could mean that deliveries will stop soon. This is a call to a hurry! In Hungary and Slovakia, there are efforts to find new sources, for example in Azerbaijan and the USA, but at the same time they continue to request the retention of the transit route by Ukraine.

The geopolitical situation is tense and the gas is the new political gap fungus in Europe! The future of these nations could be at stake while trying to maintain the balancing act between energy supply and political independence. Winter is approaching and time is pushing! Who will end up on the losing side?