Criticism in Berlin for the landscape it shaped in Europe with the policies it imposed on the weakest countries and the manipulations towards Russia – “Countries like Spain and Greece, which have not yet overcome austerity measures, show little understanding of the problem of German industry”
The energy crisis in Europe with the austerity policies he imposed in previous years – mainly – on his countries South and especially in Hellasthe German newspaper links in its article Handelsblatt.
The newspaper refers to the attitude of the countries of the South in the recent meeting on Energy: “Countries such as Spain and Greece, not yet out of austerity measures imposed by Germany during the euro crisis, show little understanding that industry in Europe’s biggest and most powerful economy is threatened by gas shortages . This explains the compromise of the Summit and the limited willingness of countries such as Spain, which switched energy imports at great expense in time, to finally support the gas saving campaign. One thing is certain: Putin will continue to test European solidarity as he pleases, and whether it lasts until the autumn will also depend on how the domestic political debate in Germany develops and whether Berlin shows a willingness to break taboos in energy policy”.
In fact, the German newspaper writes that the Berlin he finds before him the consequences of the policies he followed in the previous years against the South. The reference to Greece is not at all accidental, as for 10 years, Germany applied the most inhumane practices in Greece, leading to the collapse of the economy, the collapse of the average income and the launch of unemployment, which remains at extremely high levels, creating , in connection with the very low incomes, a permanent explosive environment.
Russia’s games with Nord Stream 1 and the pressure on Berlin
An executive at Russia’s Gazprom said today that the company is still waiting for the return of a Siemens Energy turbine for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, blaming the delay on the German company.
Siemens Energy said it was up to Gazprom to provide the necessary customs documents to return the turbine, which had been sent for maintenance to Canada.
Russia has cited turbine problems as the reason for reducing the flow of natural gas to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 20% of its capacity as of today.
The European Union accuses it of energy blackmail, which Moscow denies, as the two countries trade economic blows and hostile rhetoric over the war in Ukraine.
Gazprom Deputy CEO Vitaly Markelov told the Rossiya 24 network: “We expected to receive a repaired machine from Siemens (Energy) in May, but to date we do not have this machine.”
He said other turbines also needed repair, but “Siemens is not providing labor to fix these problems.”
Siemens Energy reiterated that transportation of the turbine that had been sent for maintenance can begin immediately.
“The German authorities have provided Siemens Energy with all the necessary documents to export the turbine to Russia. What is missing, however, are the customs documents for import into Russia.
Gazprom, as a customer, must provide these documents,” he said.
The turbine is needed for Nord Stream 1’s Portovaya compressor station, which transports gas to Germany via the 1,200km long pipeline on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
Another 20% reduction in natural gas flow
Its flow natural gas through the Nord Stream pipeline was reduced to 20% of its maximum capacity this morning, as announced, according to data from the German operator, boosting risk of shortages in the coming winter.
As of this morning, Nord Stream is transporting… 1.28 million cubic meters per hour, i.e. about 20% of its maximum capacity,” announced Gascade, which manages the network on German soil.
At the same time, the Italian group Eni was informed by Gazprom that the flow of natural gas will be limited to 27 million cubic meters today, compared to 34 million in recent days.
Before the Russian attack on UkraineNord Stream transported 73 GWh per hourfeeding the very highly dependent on Moscow Germany, but also other European countries through the connection that passes under the Baltic Sea.
The flow dropped to 40% of normal in mid-June before the supply was shut down for 10 days for “annual maintenance” from July 11 to 21. The stream has since resumed.
On Monday, Gazprom announced a doubling of daily deliveries via Nord Stream, citing a “maintenance operation on one turbine”.
A spokesman for the Kremlin announced that Western sanctions were responsible for the reduction, which “if they didn’t exist, everything would have been done with the usual deadlines…”.
But the Europeans reject the technical reasons invoked by Moscow and accuse the Kremlin of using natural gas as an economic and political weapon.
Natural gas prices yesterday reached their highest level since the March record.
The European Union yesterday agreed on a plan which foresees that each country will do everything possible to reduce in the period between August 2022 and March 2023 the consumption of natural gas by at least 15% compared to the average of the last five years during the same period.
Russia it represented 40% of EU imports until last year in natural gas.
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