Kerosene scarcity in Germany: Merz needs to convene the National Security Council “as soon as possible”. | EUROtoday

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) needs to convene the National Security Council “as soon as possible” to debate the present vitality disaster. The CDU chairman introduced this within the night on the opening of the Hanover Trade Fair.

“Our goal is clear: the German economy and citizens must be able to rely on the fact that the supply of key products such as diesel, gasoline and aviation fuel remains secure,” he mentioned. The state of affairs is at present tense, however provides are safe. “We are prepared to take action should the situation worsen.”

“It is clear to us: security of supply is the highest priority for Germany,” mentioned Merz. To guarantee stability, “all available instruments” can be used.

The black-red federal authorities based the National Security Council final yr so as to have the ability to react rapidly and successfully to crises and threats of all types. At its first assembly in November, the committee selected an motion plan to defend in opposition to hybrid threats, particularly from Russia.

In addition to members of the federal authorities and safety authorities, representatives of the federal states may also be invited. This is what Merz introduced for this subsequent assembly: Among different issues, Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Olaf Lies (SPD), who additionally took half within the opening of the commerce honest, will probably be there.

Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) had beforehand introduced countermeasures within the occasion of a kerosene scarcity and, along with the Federal Ministry of Transport, invited kerosene suppliers, airports, airways and associations to a disaster assembly on Monday.

SPD needs a Prime Minister’s Conference like in the course of the Corona interval

That’s not sufficient for the SPD prime ministers: in a letter to Merz, they urge a particular prime ministerial convention with the federal authorities. In view of the sharp rise in gasoline costs for weeks and the specter of provide bottlenecks for different items, there should urgently be coordination on the highest political stage on “fundamental questions of energy security, energy prices and structures”. The letter is out there to the German Press Agency. “Table.Briefings” had beforehand reported.

These consultations have confirmed profitable within the corona pandemic and in addition within the vitality disaster after the beginning of the struggle in Ukraine, in line with the letter, which was additionally despatched to Reiche and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD). At that point, separate disaster buildings had been arrange between the federal authorities and the states, such because the “Gas Supply Crisis Team”, the “Electricity Crisis Prevention Working Group” and the “Federal-State Committee on Petroleum Industry/Oil Stockpiling”.

The letter is signed by the SPD heads of presidency Alexander Schweitzer (Rhineland-Palatinate), Dietmar Woidke (Brandenburg), Andreas Bovenschulte (Bremen), Peter Tschentscher (Hamburg), Manuela Schwesig (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Olaf Lies (Lower Saxony) and Anke Rehlinger (Saarland). Merz is requested to take over the coordination of a particular MPK. “We will give priority to getting together as quickly as possible.”