Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) expects prices to fall again in view of the already well-stocked gas storage facilities. “We have made better progress with the storage tank fillings than the law requires, we are now at almost 83 percent,” said Habeck on Monday at the top energy policy dialogue of the North German real laboratory in Hamburg. The value of 85 percent, which is actually only prescribed for the beginning of October, will already be reached at the beginning of September. As a result, “we will no longer buy at any price. This will calm down the markets and go down,” said Habeck.
He again emphasized that the gas surcharge would come. “Yes, the gas levy will come because we as a society have to bear the price of having been dependent on Russia for cheap gas for too long,” said Habeck. However, it is not an extra tax, but rather anticipates the price increase that would have come anyway.
Habeck admitted that there are companies that have registered for the gas levy but do not need it. “We’ll solve the problem, we’ll push them off the running board again,” said Habeck. It is important that the gas levy system is not destroyed and that legal certainty is maintained. “The alternative would not be no gas surcharge, but no gas.”(dpa)