Polish PM voices support for EU common energy policies
Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, has endorsed a Friday call by the European Union's southern countries for the EU to adopt common energy policies in the face of surging prices and the need to reduce dependency on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
"I strongly support today's declaration by (the leaders of Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy - PAP) Antonio Costa, Pedro Sanchez, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Mario Draghi," Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on Friday afternoon.
"This is the right path for the EU," he added.
After the four met in Rome earlier in the day, Draghi said that the bloc, which has reacted "united and determined" to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, must now demonstrate the same coherence to protect the economies of EU countries from the consequences of this war.
"We want to push the European Commission and the other member states to take incisive measures in a sector that is decisive for our future," he told reporters.
The Italian prime minister said that the war in Ukraine caused difficulties on the raw materials market as well as soaring energy prices and that "a common management of the energy market would benefit everyone."
"We are convinced of the need to diversify gas supplies and increase the production of energy from renewable sources," he added.
He also called for common storage and purchase mechanisms in the 27-nation bloc.
Commenting on Draghi's appeal, Morawiecki said that during the European Council meeting he had "urged other European leaders to introduce new energy security measures, including maximum gas prices, to strengthen the EU's resilience and protect the bloc's economy."
