ROME, August 20. /TASS/. Italy will achieve "gas independency, first of all from Russia" in 2023, Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso said.

"We have achieved serious progress in the area of gas supplies <…>. I would like to note that in recent days, storage facilities have been filled to 90%," he said in an interview with the Il Sussidiario.net portal. "I am sure that in 2023 we will be able to ultimately achieve energy independence, first of all from Russia."

According to Urso, Italy decreased imports from Russia from 40% in 2021 to 16% last year. "The schedule is in line with the roadmap Italy adopted at the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," he said.

The Italian government has set a goal of refusing from Russian gas by mid-2024. Before the Ukrainian crisis, nearly 40% of Italy’s gas demand was satisfied by Russian gas.