VIŠEGRAD GROUP TO BLOCK ANYTHING THAT WOULD DRIVE UP ELECTRICITY PRICES

WARSAW, SEPTEMBER 10 /SRNA – RIA Novosti/ - The Visegrád Group will block proposals put forward by EU member states and institutions that could lead to further increases in electricity prices, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today.

“If there are countries such as Poland or others in the region that, through no fault of their own, are paying high electricity prices, then it should come as no surprise if Warsaw and other member states refuse to support any changes or proposals by European institutions that could worsen the energy situation in our countries,” Tusk stressed.

Following the Visegrád Four meeting in Bratislava, Tusk stressed that Warsaw opposed any changes to the European Emissions Trading System /ETS/ that could lead to higher energy prices.

The current ETS 1 proposal covers sectors such as energy and industry, while ETS 2 is intended to cover emissions from buildings and road transport.

Tusk stressed that, regardless of whether it is ETS 1, ETS 2 or another proposal, anything that poses a risk of higher energy prices will be blocked.

He called on the EU to abandon what he described as a naïve approach to competing with the United States and China while facing high energy prices.