Poland opposed Germany’s measures to reduce gas prices

PRAGUE, 6 Oct – PRIME. Poland is protesting against Germany’s plans to allocate 200 billion euros to reduce gas prices, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, arriving at an informal EU summit with the participation of the European Political Community.

To support gas importers, the German authorities planned from October 1 this year until 2024 to collect the so-called gas levy, the amount of which was to be 2.4 euro cents per kilowatt-hour. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that the German government would impose a curb on gas prices, waive the gas levy and allocate support of up to 200 billion euros.

“It cannot be that the interest of one state, the interest of Germany, designates a price path for all member countries,” Morawiecki said.

At the same time, he accused the German authorities of selfishness.

“Today, Germany’s selfishness is often spoken of. It is strikingly clear that it cannot be that the energy policy of the European Union is implemented at the dictation of Germany. We remember well how the German state taught others during the COVID period or earlier during the financial crisis. Today it is The state itself, using the powerful force of its economy, its capital, wants to allocate huge funds, and specifically 200 billion euros to help only its industry,” the Polish prime minister said.

“Of course, we are doing everything to help Polish households – in gas prices, in electricity prices. All Poles know this. But we also want to fight for our industry. It cannot be that Polish industry is in a worse position, than the industry of Germany, Austria or other countries of the European Union,” he added.

Morawiecki believes that Germany’s actions to support its gas importers are destructive for the entire EU. “These German activities, proposed by the German state, are actions that tear, destroy the European market. This must be said directly. I am convinced that the vast majority of the countries of the European Union share my view on these issues,” he said.