By: Sara Kovač / Nova24TV.si
In her annual speech in the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, advocated the reduction of electricity consumption and focused mainly on the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. She announced a limitation of the revenues of companies that use technologies cheaper than gas to produce electricity. The measure will make 140 billion euros available to help consumers cope with high prices, she said. Indeed, this measure would limit the extraordinary profits of those who profit from the war on the backs of consumers. It is interesting that the measure received the approval of the European Parliament, while yesterday the Slovenian coalition unanimously rejected a very similar measure. Namely, the SDS parliamentary group proposed an amendment that would cut the profits of electro-oligarchs and reduce electricity prices. At the same time, Janez Janša commented that the coalition showed that it is not on the side of the people, but on the side of the lobby of electricity sellers.
“By reducing consumption during peak hours, supplies will last longer, and prices will also decrease. That is why we are proposing measures for member states to reduce consumption,” von der Leyen said in her speech on the state of the EU in the European Parliament. According to her, EU members are already allocating billions of euros to help vulnerable residents, but this will not be enough. Therefore, the commission proposes a revenue limitation for companies that produce electricity using technologies cheaper than gas. “In these times, it is not right to receive exceptional record profits and benefit from the war on the backs of consumers,” emphasised the President of the European Commission. “With our proposal, we will collect more than 140 billion for the member states to alleviate the problems,” she said.
We remind you that at yesterday’s extraordinary session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, the MPs discussed the draft law on amendments and additions to the law on gas supply, the draft law on measures to manage crisis situations in the field of energy supply, and the draft law on the guarantee of the Republic of Slovenia for credit obligations, hired to ensure liquidity on organised electricity markets and emission coupons and obligations from the purchase of additional quantities of natural gas outside the European Union market.
The SDS parliamentary group proposed a measure on the share of produced electricity that companies that are 100% owned by the state are obliged to sell to users who consume this energy in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, but the coalition unanimously rejected it. “Remember this when you will be paying expensive bills, and the electricity dealers will be paying themselves out millions in prizes,” commented Janez Janša on yesterday’s refusal.
This was also emphasised by MEP Milan Zver, who said that “yesterday, the government coalition rejected one of the most sensible proposals, which would cut the profits of the electro-oligarchs and reduce the high electricity prices paid by Slovenian consumers. Today, von der Leyen received thunderous applause for a similar proposal in her speech.”
According to von der Leyen, companies operating in the oil, gas, and coal sector must also contribute to dealing with such problems. At the same time, the Commission is preparing measures to ease the problems faced by energy companies due to large fluctuations in electricity prices. She also announced a comprehensive reform of the electricity market since it no longer works.