Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis urged Greeks to seek alternative ways to heat up this winter, warning that the winter will be a horror one when it comes to energy and heating prices.
Heating oil is six times cheaper than natural gas, the minister said on MEGA TV last Saturday. Mr Georgiadis was front and centre last month in welcoming the Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in an attempt to develop new solutions to the looming energy crisis brought on by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The coming winter will be the most difficult in the last 80 years for Greece and Europe, with electricity now a “utility” available for a few.
“Europe and Greece are entering the most difficult winter since 1942. Anyone who can find an alternative way to heat their home for the winter, find it,” he said.
“Oil is currently six times cheaper than natural gas. Putin is using natural gas as a weapon against Europe, he is not only attacking Ukraine, he is an enemy of the EU. All European citizens should know that we are in an economic, trade, energy war with Russia, and need to take action against an energy crisis,” he added.
Gerogiadis said that the government will launch an information campaign on how households and businesses can save by reducing the already huge energy costs.
“There will be an immediate public information campaign by the Ministry of Environment and Energy on how to act this winter in order to reduce the enormous damage that our economy and our pocketbook will suffer from the energy war of Putin in Europe. We must keep in mind that we should not spend the electricity in the way we did it in the past. Electricity is already too expensive.”
“The Greek government will continue to support the citizens. The economy is doing very well, better than all European countries, we have a triple record of investment and tourism, our best performance in the history of our country.”
Regarding the reduction of the excise tax on fuel, Georgiadis said that, “our policies will be targeted at those in need, and will not be general measures.”
Greek state broadcaster ERT reported Sunday afternoon that the price of heating oil will be up this winter, at 1.8 euros per litre.
Regardless of the government’s soon to be released campaign the issue remains on how to replace Greece’s current heating means and especially if the citizens can afford it when inflation is running at 11 per cent?
Residential buildings have semi-autonomous gas heating and many apartments have a fireplace. Half of the owners/tenants shut down the gas heating last January, when the bill for December (3 months before Putin’s war) was three times higher than in previous years.
Some struggled until end of March with air conditioners or portable heaters, only to suffer a bill shock later. Others, tried to provide heating to their families through a fire place only to find out firewood prices were going up each month.
Firewood costs twice what it did in 2021, and a pallet is now three times higher, some media are reporting.
The subsidy for heating last winter was not received by all those eligible due to bureaucratic hurdles and 20 people in total died in home fires caused by cheap heating devices
