Supply at risk

Is the coalition dispute leading to an explosive gas dilemma?

Austrian gas storage facilities are still well filled

(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart .)

Was this a fatal tit-for-tat because the VP provincial councillors, including Markus Achleitner from Upper Austria, gave Green Minister Leonore Gewessler the cold shoulder at a conference and shone through their absence? The minister rejected an extension of the gas agreement with Ukraine and Russia.

The coalition crisis triggered by the "yes" to the EU renaturation law by Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) remains at the heart of domestic domestic politics. However, what many see as an early election campaign could now also have serious repercussions for our country.

Gas contract expires at the end of the year
As is well known, last Friday the ÖVP state energy councillors boycotted a joint conference with Gewessler in Vorarlberg. And a decision was made there that could well be interpreted as a payback for the absence of the ÖVP politicians: An application from Upper Austria to extend the gas transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia was rejected. The background: Ukraine has announced that it does not want to extend the transit contract for gas from Russia to Austria, which expires at the end of 2024.

Are dependent on Russian gas
However, as Austria is still heavily reliant on Russian gas, Markus Achleitner, Member of the Provincial Council for Energy and the Economy, wanted to urge the Green Minister to lobby at international level for an extension of the contract until 2027. "We agreed everything in advance at expert and official level, but the Green Minister from Vorarlberg and his Red colleague from Vienna voted against it on Friday," Achleitner is stunned.

"Getting a huge issue with security of supply"
As a result, the decision was not made and Gewessler also made no attempt to support the extension - "further confirmation of her loss of reality", Achleitner rails. "When the contract expires, we will have a huge issue with security of supply." If the gas is sourced elsewhere, there is a risk of a "price explosion".