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world news Diahuebs 21 Juli 2022

EU draws up energy plan in case of Russian gas cutoff

(AP) — The European ergy ministers next Tuesday. at a time when a blog post
Union’s head office on For them to be approved, from the International Mon-
Wednesday proposed that national capitals would have etary Fund has warned about
member states cut their to consider yielding some of the weaknesses of the 27-na-
gas use by 15% over the their powers over energy pol- tion bloc.
coming months as the icy to Brussels.
bloc braced for a possi- “The partial shutoff of gas
ble full Russian cutoff of “We have to be proactive. We deliveries is already affect-
natural gas supplies that have to prepare for a poten- ing European growth, and a
could add a big chill to the tial full disruption of Russian full shutdown could be sub-
upcoming winter. gas. And this is a likely sce- stantially more severe,” the
nario. That’s what we’ve seen IMFBlog warned. It added
While the initial cuts would in the past,” von der Leyen that gross domestic product
be voluntary, the Commis- said, adding that Kremlin- in member nations like Hun-
sion also asked for the power controlled Gazprom showed gary, Slovakia and the Czech
to impose mandatory reduc- scant interest in market forc- Republic could shrink by up Since Russia invaded ergy crisis will get worse if
tions across the bloc in the es and instead played a politi- to 6%. Ukraine, the EU has ap- Moscow does not restart the
event of an EU-wide emer- cal game to choke off the EU. proved bans on Russian coal key Nord Stream pipeline
gency caused by what Com- Italy, a country already facing and most oil to take effect to Germany after scheduled
mission President Ursula Saving 15% on gas use be- serious economic problems, later this year, but it did not maintenance ends Thursday.
von der Leyen saw as a de- tween August and next “would also face significant include natural gas because And Putin left everyone sec-
liberate attempt by President March will not come all that impacts.” the 27-nation bloc depends ond-guessing on Wednesday.
Vladimir Putin to weaponize easy. The European Com- on gas to power factories,
gas exports. mission signaled its proposed EU economic forecasts last generate electricity and heat The Russian leader ques-
target would require EU week showed that Russia’s homes. Now, von der Leyen tioned the quality of the re-
“Russia is blackmailing us. countries as a whole to triple war in Ukraine is expected to is convinced Putin will cut pair work done on the Nord
Russia is using energy as a the rationing achieved to date wreak havoc with economic off gas anyway to try to wreak Stream 1 turbine. “They say
weapon. And therefore, in since the Russian invasion of recovery for the foreseeable economic and political havoc that they will return these
any event, whether it’s a par- Ukraine started Feb. 24. future, with lower annual in Europe this winter. machines — one, in any case
tial major cutoff of Russian growth and record-high in- — but in what capacity they
gas or total cutoff of Rus- “EU-level savings so far have flation. The disruptions in “Putin is trying to push us will return, what are the tech-
sian gas, Europe needs to be been equal to 5%,” EU En- Russian energy trade threaten around this winter and this nical parameters after leaving
ready,” von der Leyen said. ergy Commissioner Kadri to trigger a recession in the he will dramatically fail if we this scheduled repair? Maybe
Simson said. “This is clearly bloc just as it is recovering stick together,” said von der they will take it and turn it
EU member states will dis- not enough.” from a pandemic-induced Leyen. off at some point, and Nord
cuss the measures at an slump Stream 1 will stop,” he said.
emergency meeting of en- Wednesday’s proposal comes There are fears that the en-

Election of unpopular Sri Lankan PM invites more turmoil

(AP) — Sri Lankan lawmakers on — would stay in power. million people struggling with short- “Ranil, go home.”
Wednesday elected the unpopu- ages of essentials, including medicine,
lar prime minister as their new While the choice invited more pro- fuel and food. After demonstrators “We are very sad, very disappointed
president, a choice that risked tests, lawmakers apparently consid- stormed the presidential palace and with the 225 parliament members
reigniting turmoil in the South ered Wickremesinghe a safe pair of several other government buildings who we elected to speak for us, which
Asian nation reeling from eco- hands, a politician with deep experi- last week, President Gotabaya Raja- they have not done,” said Visaka Jay-
nomic collapse and months of ence who could lead Sri Lanka out paksa fled and then resigned. awware, a performance artist in the
round-the-clock protests. of the crisis. He has spent 45 years in Much of the protesters’ ire is focused crowd. “We will keep fighting for the
Parliament and led recent talks seek- on Rajapaksa and his family’s politi- people of Sri Lanka. We have to ask
The crisis has already forced out one ing a bailout for the bankrupt island cal dynasty, which ruled Sri Lanka for for a general election.”
leader, and a few hundred protest- nation. most of the past two decades. But
ers quickly gathered after the vote many also blame Wickremesinghe for Wickremesinghe has wide experience
to express their outrage that Ranil Sri Lankans have taken to the street protecting Rajapaksa. During dem- in diplomatic and international affairs
Wickremesinghe — a six-time prime for months to demand their top lead- onstrations last week, crowds set his and oversaw the bailout talks with the
minister whom they see as part of the ers step down as the country spiraled personal residence on fire and occu- International Monetary Fund.
problematic political establishment into economic chaos that left its 22 pied his office.
But many voters view him with sus-
Wednesday’s vote means Wick- picion since he was appointed prime
remesinghe — who was also Raja- minister by Rajapaksa in May, in
paksa’s finance minister and became hopes he would restore stability.
acting president after the leader fled
— will finish the presidential term The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and
ending in 2024. He can now also ap- his powerful family of siphoning
point a new prime minister. money from government coffers and
of hastening the country’s collapse
“I need not tell you what state our by mismanaging the economy. The
country is in,” Wickremesinghe, 73, family has denied the corruption alle-
told fellow lawmakers after his vic- gations, but the former president ac-
tory was announced. “People are not knowledged that some of his policies
expecting the old politics from us. contributed to Sri Lanka’s meltdown.
They expect us to work together.”
“The struggle will continue until our
He pleaded for the country to move demands are met. Wickremesinghe
on: “Now that the election is over, we “doesn’t have a mandate to rule the
have to end this division.” country,” said Nemel Jayaweera, a
But protesters flocked to the presi- human resources professional. “We
dential residence instead, chanting, will oppose him.”