Was this a fatal retaliation because the VP state councilors, including Markus Achleitner from Upper Austria, had given the cold shoulder to Green minister Leonore Gewessler at a conference and were conspicuous by their absence? The minister rejected an extension of the gas treaty with Ukraine and Russia.
The coalition crisis caused by climate minister Leonore Gewessler’s (Greens) ‘yes’ to the EU renaturation law remains at the center of domestic politics. What many see as a premature election campaign could now have serious consequences for our country.
The gas contract expires at the end of this year
As is known, the energy council members of the ÖVP boycotted a joint conference with Gewessler in Vorarlberg last Friday. And there a decision was made that can certainly be interpreted as a retaliation for the absence of the ÖVP politicians: an application from Upper Austria to extend the gas transit contract between Ukraine and Russia was rejected. Background: Ukraine has announced that it will not renew the gas transit contract from Russia to Austria, which expires at the end of 2024.
Are dependent on Russian gas
Because Austria remains highly dependent on Russian gas, Councilor for Energy and Economic Affairs Markus Achleitner wanted to call on the Green Minister to campaign at international level for an extension of the contract until 2027. “We voted on everything in advance at expert level and officials, but the green state councilor from Vorarlberg and the red colleague from Vienna voted against it on Friday,” says Achleitner in bewilderment.
“There is a major problem with security of supply”
The decision was therefore not made and Gewessler took no action to argue for the extension – a “further confirmation of their loss of reality,” says Achleitner. “If the contract expires, we will have a major problem with security of supply.” If the gas is purchased elsewhere, there is a risk of a ‘price explosion’.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
