"Oh my God, 55% of Austria’s gas continues to come from Russia,” Martin Selmayr lamented in Vienna. Paying for continued Russian supplies was tantamount to helping finance its war against Ukraine, and no one protested, he added.
I’m from Austria and I applaud him for saying the truth.
It’s embarrassing how many austrian politicians are defending the russian gas imports.
It’s embarrassing how many austrian politicians are defending the russian gas imports.
Sadly true.
Why One Country Is Struggling to Break Away From Russian Gas (July 2023)
Germany, which got 55 percent of its supply from Russia before the war, now imports zero. Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have halted or are close to halting flows. And Italy has been steadily trimming imports, and pledges to be free of Russian natural gas by the end of this year.
By contrast, Austria, which received nearly 80 percent of its gas from Russia before the invasion, still got more than half its total from Russia in May. And in March, when demand was higher, the figure reached 74 percent. As long as Russia is selling gas, Austria will buy it, the chief executive of the Austrian energy company OMV Group said this month.
The government’s difficulties in weaning itself off Russian gas, which it has pledged to do, have drawn complaints from critics who say Austria’s gas payments are helping to finance Moscow’s war machine.
He absolutely is right.
But it absolutely dumb to say this at an Event where you are invited to in your representative role, when the EU Commission you are representing doesnt agree with that statement.
Nah it’s dumb to remain silent in fear.
It’s smart to use your platform to push for progress
There is diplomatic protocol. If he has the “go” from the commission to criticize Austria, he absolutely should do so. But if he doesnt have that backing, he is actively creating a diplomatic crisis.
