The Minister of Environment and Energy Security of Italy, who sought to play a new role among European countries in order to reduce dependence on gas imports from Russia, after the gas crisis of the European continent, announced that his country is no longer dependent on the import of this product from Russia. .
Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Gilberto Picto Fratin said that the country has managed the challenge of “dependence on Russian gas”, although about 10% of the country’s gas is still supplied from Russia.
According to the reports that have reached us, the Italian minister stated in an interview with the Corriere della Sera newspaper that was published yesterday: Before, about 40% of our gas needs were supplied by Russia, and now this amount It has reached less than 10%.
He also added: “In fact, we are able to overcome Moscow’s dependence on this issue by increasing gas transmission through the Trans-Driatic Pipeline (TAP) in the East and also from Africa with new agreements with Algeria and Libya.”
The Italian official also said: LNG gas conversion terminals allow us to buy gas at the best price from around the world as we seek to develop alternative sources of energy.
According to him, the demand for gas in Italy is still high. Italy uses gas to produce two-thirds of its electricity, and according to Fratin’s forecasts, the prices of these two products are expected to increase by 5% and 15% respectively in the third quarter of this year and by 10% and 25% by the fourth quarter. Of course, it should be noted that all European countries have faced a dramatic increase in gas prices in the past months due to the fuel crisis caused by sanctions against Russia.
Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, in line with Rome’s efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas, previously visited Algeria. The war in Ukraine followed by international sanctions prompted Italy to enter into dialogue with Algeria, the country’s second largest supplier of gas, and to increase the amount of gas purchased from this country.
After the start of special Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Italian government pledged to eliminate the country’s dependence on Russian natural gas imports. During his speech in the parliament of this country, Draghi emphasized on ending dependence on Russian gas by the second half of 2024.
