end of dependence? – Former OMV boss warns: “Learned nothing from Russia”

Putin’s fate is worrying and inventive. A Norwegian consortium wants to take over the majority of OMV’s gas and oil activities for a maximum of 7 billion euros and guarantees security of supply: 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas can be supplied (annual consumption 8 billion). Former OMV boss Gerhard Roiss warns: “You cannot guarantee safety. You would probably deliver to the best bidder.”

What weighs even more heavily: Austria would prove itself again. “That would again be up to 80 percent dependency. The government has clearly learned nothing from Russia.” Dangerous: “The pipelines are in the sea. If Putin blows them up, we’ll have zero instead of 80 percent. It would be playing with fire.”

The ex-manager argues for a third solution (Norway, Romania/Rotterdam, Austria via Italy) not to become a match ball. Roiss, who fought against dependency on Russia as a board member, criticizes the government looking to Abu Dhabi (government fund holds 24.9 percent of OMV) to get the sanctions. The state holding company ÖBAG (the Republic has a 31.5 percent interest in OMV) is investigating various options for energy security.

The Treasury Department says: “There are no restrictions on thinking and we have a responsibility to explore every option that would lead to greater security of supply for the site and the people.”