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Date Published: 10/03/2022

ARCHIVED - Borrell asks Europeans to lower their heating to reduce dependency on Russia

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The High Representative has since clarified that he did not include Spain in this statement

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Borrell asks Europeans to lower their heating to reduce dependency on Russia

The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, came under fire this week after he asked citizens to lower the heating in their homes to reduce Europe’s dependency on Russian gas. He later clarified that his comments were not directed at Spain, since it does not rely on the invading nation for its energy supplies.

Spain is in a rather fortunate position in that the vast majority of its gas comes from Algeria, a country which has committed to helping struggling nations with their energy supplies as the Russia-Ukraine war drags on.

Algeria is the third biggest supplier of gas in Europe, piping 83% of its exports here, with Spain and Italy as the main destination countries, making up 65% of the total last year.

But Europe still forks out 700 million euros a day to Russia for gas, oil and coal, and Brussels is studying options to cut its ties.

“We have to stop paying Putin,” Mr Borrell urged.

His solution was a simple one: use less heating so that less has to be bought from Russia. “One degree less temperature at home is a 7% savings in Russian gas. Two degrees less is 14% less. Refugees are much colder. I think it is a perfectly possible solidarity effort,” was his stark message.

The High Representative’s comments weren’t well received, however, particularly in Spain, with Congress member Gabriel Rufián going as far as asking him to stop “making a fool of himself and go home.”

It was at this point that Mr Borrell clarified his statement, insisting that his request was aimed at other European countries and not Spain.

Mr Borrell did not hold back on criticising the decision of the United States to prohibit the importing of oil, gas and coal from Russia, an empty gesture as far as he is concerned since the US receives practically no energy from Putin.

Image: Archive

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