BERLIN, January 27. /TASS/. Germany’s gas storage facilities are full only to a critical level of 38%, Tino Chrupalla, co-chair of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said.
"First, Germany is moving toward a gas crisis. The capacity of German gas storage facility has reached a critical level, having dropped below 38%. It means that the situation is critical," he told journalists, adding that under the plan of action in case of a gas emergency, 55% is a critical level.
"The level below 40% indicates a critical situation," he stated. "According to the energy company Uniper, the safety of supplies is not guaranteed today. Storage facilities in Bavaria are even less filled than on average in the country." In his words, Energy Storage Initiative data indicate that some of these facilities are filled to mere 5%.
On Monday, the EU Council finally approved a complete ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to the EU from January 1, 2027, and on pipeline gas from September 30, 2027. The regulation provides for substantial fines for violations. For European companies, the fine will amount to 300% of the transaction value, or 3.5% of annual turnover, and for individuals, at least 2.5 mln euros. Earlier, Budapest reported that Hungary would challenge the ban jointly with Slovakia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen want to drain Russia’s military budget, "but, is robbing people of their savings instead," Chrupalla said. "After Russian pipeline gas supplies to Europe were halted, the United States has assumed the leading role in supplying Europe with natural gas. But the just-in-time logistics from the United States is less reliable and more expensive. On top of it, the extreme winter in the United States has led to the decrease in exports of liquefied natural gas and, ultimately, to the further growth of prices."
"The dependence on expensive American liquefied natural gas is now a threat to the security of our supplies," he added.