Ribera reiterates that Spain is not willing to have something imposed on it that it considers "unfair"

Affirms that the contingency plan will not include mandatory measures, beyond recommendations for savings and efficiency

MADRID, 21 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The third vice-president of the Government and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, has reiterated, with regard to Brussels' proposal to reduce gas consumption by 15% in the face of an energy crisis due to the cutoff of Russian gas, that Spain "is not willing" to be imposed without asking "something that it considers unfair."

In statements to Cadena Ser, collected by Europa Press, Ribera insisted on his discomfort at the fact that the European Commission had not opened a dialogue before presenting its proposal and expressed his concern that a measure has been put on the table that supposes "an oversized effort for Spain".

In this regard, he recalled that experts already point out that "for Spain, Portugal and, to a lesser extent, France, the objective that would correspond to them in a fair way, with a redistributive effect and not an overexertion, is that we stay at zero".

Ribera insisted that the scheme proposed by Brussels supposes "a disproportionate effort for Spain", which has done its homework above other states, which it did not want to mention.

Thus, he assured that Europe "can count on the solidarity" of Spain, although he questioned the effectiveness of the measures proposed by Brussels.

In this sense, he valued the "very great effort for a long time" made by the Spanish assuming the cost to have energy infrastructures, "which has not always had the understanding of the Commission", he added.

On the other hand, he assured that consumers and industry will not have to face any gas cuts as of next autumn and affirmed that the contingency plan to deal with a possible energy crisis will not contemplate mandatory measures for citizens, beyond marking some savings and efficiency recommendations.

"We are going to ask, not demand, savings and energy efficiency. We must understand the situation and put the heating at certain degrees, but not oblige," he said.

Likewise, Ribera expressed his confidence that businessmen "will not have to face any cuts either." "We do think there is savings capacity," he added.

Regarding the resumption of supply through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline after the completion of routine maintenance work, the Third Vice President of the Government considered that it is "a relief".