NordenBladet —
Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee Peeter Tali said that at its sitting, the Committee confirmed that Estonia supported increasing the European Union’s energy independence from Russia and therefore considered it important that negotiations to end natural gas imports from Russia should be concluded as quickly as possible and that natural gas should be abandoned at the earliest opportunity.
“Buyers of Russian gas and other fossil fuels are directly financing Russia’s war in Ukraine and its war machine. Another threat is that not only Russian influence but also corruption, which undermines our rule of law, is inevitably spreading through the pipelines into the heart of Europe,” Tali underlined. “It is also appropriate to discuss the ending of natural gas imports from Russia at next week’s European Council and General Affairs Council meetings. The sooner we stop buying Russian natural gas, the happier we will be living in a free Europe in the longer perspective.”
The approved positions state that Estonia supports the goal of ending imports of Russian natural gas and liquefied natural gas into the European Union and the implementation of the prohibition as soon as possible. In Estonia’s opinion, long-term gas supply contracts should be terminated as soon as possible, but not later than 1 January 2028. On that date, the transition provisions arising from the types of contracts and the transition periods for countries without sea borders must expire.
Estonia also supports ending oil imports from Russia by 2028 at the latest. In addition, Estonia considers it necessary that the European Commission submitted a proposal to end imports of Russian nuclear fuel and technology as soon as possible.
Minister of Energy and the Environment Andres Sutt gave an overview of the positions of the Government on the proposal for a Regulation at today’s sitting of the European Union Affairs Committee. The European Union Affairs Committee decided to specify the positions presented by the Government, taking into account the opinion of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu, and to emphasise that the gas supply contracts should be terminated as soon as possible.
Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: European Union Affairs Committee: Europe has to give up Russian natural gas as soon as possible
Source: Parliament of Estonia