The world will become poorer, warns the German Minister of Economy and accuses the Russian president that he “wants to dissolve” Germany
If gas supplies from Russia remain low, Germany is heading for a shortfall, which means that some industries should stop production and lay off workers, some areas would lose entire industrial complexes, supply chains could collapse, people would be charged to pay their heating bills, they would become poorer, warns Economy and Climate Protection Minister Robert Hubeck and talks about “Putin’s plan to dismantle our country.”
“What we are experiencing right now is more important than the 1973 crisis and it goes deeper. “Stopping gas today would hit our economy harder and harder (…) And we are not just talking about days or weeks, but about a long time.”Mr. Habeck emphasizes in an interview with the magazine The gameone day after activation of the “alarm” phase of the gas contingency plan and expresses its admiration for the solidarity with which German society is facing the problem. “I know many citizens whose money does not reach the end of the month or who did not heat all the rooms of their house last winter. To be honest, this is not over yet. Even more will be affected. And that’s why it’s admirable that society remains so united. People are aware of what is at stake. “Living in security and freedom is no longer self-evident and I see great determination not to let Putin escape this war, even if it costs us,” he said. »Vladimir Putin to divide us with high prices. “Putin wants our country to disintegrate, but we will not disintegrate,” he said.
Asked what the consumer can do to save energy, Mr. Habeck says that e.g. he has reduced the duration of his shower. “But I am a bad example. As a minister I have a salary that others only dream of. I also miss many hours from home “, he admits and notes that the situation is very different for those who work from home or are retired. He also admits that as Minister of Economy he is forced to make “very bitter” decisions regarding climate policy and suggests to anyone who can avoid air travel and travel by car, in order not to further burden the environment, “now which sadly increases the use of carbon again “, while asking consumers to reduce the temperature in winter by a degree, which leads to overall savings of 6%. Regarding the possibility of introducing a speed limit on the highways, the Minister of Economy states that it would lead to fuel economy and reduction of pollutants, while the number of serious accidents would be reduced, but he explains that there is no agreement between the government partners.
“We can not do everything perfectly. Sometimes children just need to play with water. Let them have fun. Let us not punish ourselves so much (…) And let us not treat people with (…) moral arrogance. But let’s not believe that everything is easy (…) There is always the possibility of saving 10% of energy. But again, these would mean that you have to spend for these processes. So telling them all the time can sound cynical. “points out.
Answering a question on how to persuade citizens to contribute to the energy saving effort, the Robert Hubeck states: “I bet on something as old-fashioned as the feeling of responsibility. “You may find it silly, but I have faith in people.”
Reliefs in view of winter
Referring to possible financial relief in view of the winter, the Minister of Economy and Vice Chancellor clarified that “we will not be able to absorb everything, but we will provide support where the money is really small”.
Mr Habeck also explains the federal government’s effort to secure alternative sources of natural gas, e.g. from Qatar. To the criticism of Germany’s trade “with a dictatorship”, he responds directly: “Given our dependence on Russia, I did not find the trip to Qatar very difficult. We have always bought oil and gas from countries with different values. And now there is such a selective ethic that seems strange to me. “We should not do business with Qatar, but we do not have a problem with Saudi Arabia?” Asked whether human rights issues should be ignored under the weight of necessity, he points out e.g. the fact that Qatar is the only Arab country that has introduced a minimum wage. “There is no white or black, only gray. “I always believe that what we do is better than staying in Putin’s shoes.”
Regarding the discussion on the possibility of extending the operation of nuclear power plants, Mr. Habeck explains that there are many disadvantages, especially in terms of safety, while nuclear power plants are not used for heating. “We are increasing the use of coal, which really saddens me. “We are taking a half step back and this means that in the future we must take bigger steps forward”, concludes the Minister of Economy.
Check out the news feed and stay up to date with the latest news.
