Ribera calls it "incoherent" to leave the future on the MidCat "to the decision of two countries"

MADRID, 7 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The third vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, assessed this Wednesday that "there is a point of inconsistency" in which from Europe it is said that it is "capital to use infrastructures in a more intelligent way" and promote "complementarities" and then not participate in the debate on the MidCat gas pipeline and leave it "to the decision of one or two countries", in reference to Spain and France.

"There is a point of inconsistency when Europe highlights that it is capital to use infrastructures in a more intelligent way and to use all the complementarities and that it is in the European interest (...) and, however, then not participate in that debate about what is European interest and how to solve any technical or financial problems that may arise and leave it to the decision of one or two countries", he assured in the 'Save Energy' forum. Ukraine, climate change and common sense' organized by the newspaper 'Infolibre'.

Asked about what the next steps will be in relation to MidCat, the gas pipeline between Spain and France through the Pyrenees that would connect with central and northern Europe, Ribera pointed out that "it is not about making life more difficult " to the Gallic country, but to "invite everyone to reflect" to prepare for the fall of 2023, which he has warned will also be complicated.

"Two people do not fight if one does not want to, but it is very difficult for two to agree if one does not want to. And it is unfair, because it is not imposing anything on anyone, but rather seeing how the European interest is reconciled in all this", has added.

France has expressed its rejection of the project, while the European Commission has avoided openly endorsing it, when this same Tuesday the spokesman for Energy of the Community Executive, Tim McPhie, asserted that the European Commission could not give a "specific position" at this time about of the project, given that "it is necessary that the Member States and the promoters advance in the analysis of the possibilities of viability" of the project.

Regarding McPhie's words, the minister has stressed that she answered what was asked, that is, if it was on the list of Projects of Community Interest -in which the infrastructure is not found-, although she has insisted that it is found in the RepowerEu plans, a document adopted by the Heads of State and Government at the proposal of the European Commission before the summer.

In addition, he has once again pointed out that the idea is for the pipeline to be part of the Iberian green hydrogen corridor and to be used to transport this raw material when Spain produces surpluses to be able to export them.

"If we are going to anticipate that Iberian hydrogen corridor, we can count on this reflection, which is already very advanced in the MidCat environment. That it be useful, that it can arrive on time and that it can make sense for the long term, prepared for hydrogen," he said. asserted.

In her participation in the forum, in which she answered questions from the public, the minister also stressed that "it is a bit absurd to hear how some say that the solution is to return to coal" in the framework of the current energy crisis.

"There are neither mines nor coal plants. It makes no sense to force the industry to undertake investments in different boilers and engines, which are from the past, when the reality is that the problem is one of price, how to get out of this with the least loss social and industrial", he highlighted.

In this sense, he has advocated short-term measures that are "consistent" with the medium and long term, in addition to accelerating those that have a "structural and change vocation", although for this it is necessary to find a way to accompany them socially or incorporate "additional flexibilities".