Greece on Thursday opposed the European Commission’s proposal to reduce natural gas consumption in the European Union by 15 percent in response to the cut in Russian gas supplies.
‘The government does not, in principle, approve the European Commission’s proposal to reduce natural gas consumption by 15 percent, ” Greek government spokesman Yannis Economou said at a press conference. Greek Energy minister Kostas Skrekas told a local radio station that Greece was joining a group of countries opposed to the Commission’s proposal. He mentioned Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Malta and Cyprus.
The minister explained that about 70 percent of the gas imported by Greece is used for the production of electricity, and a 15 percent cut would most likely lead to disruptions in the power supply of families and businesses. ‘We disapprove not only of the mandatory nature of the measure but also of the level of containment advocated by Brussels, ” Skrekas said.