The war in Ukraine has also brought to the fore the energy dependency. And in the case of Spain, its weak connection with the rest of Europe. The country has a powerful network of plants capable of regasifying liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is imported and arrives by ship from third countries such as the United States. But there is not enough capacity to get that raw material to the rest of Europe and for it to reduce its dependence on Russia. The Government is willing to revive the interconnection project with the heart of the continent, but understands that the infrastructure must be paid for by the European Union.
Pedro Sanchez He already assured last week on TVE that he was not opposed to the construction of a tube that would link Spain with France, but provided that not only gas, but also clean energy, green hydrogen, was channeled through it. The president once again defended this thesis before journalists in an informal conversation during the flight that took him to Latvia, on a visit designed to express Spain’s support for NATO and the protection of the eastern flank against Moscow.
The head of the Executive explained to the press that this infrastructure for gas and green hydrogen must be “financed from the European budgets & rdquor ;. He argued that the Spanish pay for the six regasification plants in the country. “So if we want to make our reserve capacities available to Europe [por encima del 60%, frente al 30% que hay en la UE], it must be financed by Europe. It has to be Europe that finances, but I think Europe has no problem & rdquor ;, she argued. And he added that if it is going to take “years & rdquor; to materialize the construction of a new tube, it must also be able to conduct green hydrogen.
In Latvia, I meet with the PM @krisjaniskarins to convey our support to the Baltic countries in these difficult times. With this trip, Spain reaffirms its commitment to the defense of the eastern flank. In the face of the Russian attack on Ukraine, we must remain more united than ever. pic.twitter.com/i3xkYjpMVY
– Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) March 8, 2022
Prioritize the “unity & rdquor;
Sánchez’s thesis of the double connection is also the one defended by the Minister of Transition, Teresa Ribera. Therefore, it would not be a question of simply reviving the Midcat project, which declined a few years ago and was going to run through the Pyrenees mountain range to link Spain and France. Today it is not operational and today it would be necessary.
Within the EU, the debate is also alive to further increase the pressure on Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, calls for a no-fly zone (which NATO and the EU oppose because it would escalate the conflict and lead to a Third World War) and to stop importing Russian gas and oil. Sánchez, during his talk with journalists, did not want to comment on the future tools that could be activated against the Kremlin.
“The most important thing is that unity prevails & rdquor ;, insisted the president. Sánchez will focus this Tuesday on his contacts with the Prime Ministers of Latvia and Canada, Arturs Krisjanis Karins and Justin Trudeau, and with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg. But the talks are taking place these days between all the European leaders ahead of the informal summit in Versailles, this Thursday and Friday, and the ordinary European Council at the end of the month. A new package of sanctions is already being considered, he recalled.
Soon to know the fiscal rules
Sánchez was able to talk on Sunday with the president of Algeria, Abdelmajid Tebboune. This guaranteed the gas supply and revalidated the “energy alliance & rdquor; between the two countries at a key moment.
He defends that the war conflict also forces the search for “alternative exporters & rdquor; of raw materials, such as Argentina, Brazil or the USA
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The war in Ukraine will not only force, defended the president, an income pact that has to be substantiated between businessmen and unions. Measures will also have to be taken at European level. Deal with the energy supply but also explore the possibility that countries like Argentina, Brazil or the United States become “alternative exporters & rdquor; raw material. Ukraine was until now the breadbasket of Europe, and the conflict closes that door.
Another issue under discussion in Europe is fiscal rules. The socialist president anticipates that the Community Executive will turn his position and approach what is defended by his Government, to “stimulate growth & rdquor ;, guarantee fiscal sustainability and address the ecological and digital transition. Sánchez advanced that the Commission has transferred that based on the economic forecasts it will decide on the fiscal rules. “We are in a very incipient moment” of the debate, he noted.