Dev. Min.: We are experiencing the biggest energy crisis in history

The Minister of Development, Adonis Georgiadis, spoke about the biggest energy crisis in history, speaking on SKAI TV and added that this situation of increases in gas and oil prices, in the shadow of the war in Ukraine, is not faced by a state on its own.

He noted that today the Commission will announce an additional package of measures, while referring to the provision for the profit margin on fuel, noting that although it works, the government does not expect a change in prices, as raw materials increase.

The lignite units working at full capacity

The minister described as populist the allegations that the price of energy has increased in our country because the lignite plants have been closed. He explained that except for one unit in Kardia Amynteon that closed in 2018, all the other lignite units are working at full capacity.

He stressed that the Mitsotakis decision for de-lignification concerns their closure in 2023 and nothing that is to be done then can affect the price in March 2022.

The minister noted that the government keeps its composure and trusts the EU and called on citizens to think about what would have happened if Greece had been outside the eurozone and had to face the energy crisis in conditions of inflationary drachma.

“We will be thankful that we have stayed in the eurozone and the euro… Imagine if we had drachmas today and we had an inflationary drachma and we had to buy natural gas and oil”, said Mr. Georgiadis. He also added: “We are thankful that the late statesman, Konstantinos Karamanlis put us in the European economic community. That we entered the euro during the Simitis government. That Samaras kept us in the euro when everyone said we would exit. I will add that we should also be thankful that Tsipras did his “kolotoumba” [volte face], because I want to be fair, about if we were in the drachma today… “.

Inflation subsidies

Mr. Georgiadis also referred to inflation subsidies, saying that the government can not be indifferent to those who are most in need and will help them from the state coffers. He explained that it will concern people with low income while the terms and amount will be specified by the Ministry of Finance and this is expected in the near future.