PM says EU needs to counter gas market manipulation
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday again welcomed a proposal by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for an EU-wide cap on gas prices in a bid to contain soaring energy costs. Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the European Political Community in Prague, Mitsotakis said Europe must take “bold” steps to counter market manipulation by Russia.
Mitsotakis also took a dig at Berlin’s 200-billion-euro gas price relief scheme, which has sparked criticism from other states in the bloc who say it challenges European unity, stressing that the current crisis mandates greater “solidarity.” A solution can hopefully be reached by the end of October, he said.
Earlier, the Greek premier launched a thinly disguised attack on Turkey for undermining regional security. “Respect for international law, the fundamental protection of human rights must be the cornerstone supporting this new effort. I sincerely hope that all the countries who are participating today and may participate in the future share these common values, not just in words but in actions,” he said.
He also expressed his “deep sorrow for the tragic loss of life” following the separate sinkings of two migrant boats in the Aegean and praised the “heroic” efforts of rescue crews.
“This is a time to really cooperate much more substantially in order to avoid these types of incidents occurring in the future and to completely eradicate the smugglers who prey upon innocent people,” the Greek premier said.
