The current rise in natural gas prices is causing panic and fear in European countries, said an article published in French on the Swiss website Lematin.ch in connection with the recent increase in natural gas prices.
According to the article, many experts attribute the growth to demand from Asia, especially China. At the same time, the environmental restrictions on coal purchases have led to serious energy shortages, reduced workloads of some factories, and caused a sharp change in gas demand at the worst time for pre-winter Europe.
The article emphasizes that the situation in European countries is deplorable:
"Faced with uncontrolled price increases, politicians try to reassure consumers and react to the sharp surge in natural gas prices. For example, the Prime Minister of France, Jean Castex, has promised that in 2022, if world gas prices do not fall, he will act on financial leverage if necessary."
France, along with Spain, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Romania, said a "common approach" was needed to prevent the panic in Europe: In the UK, gas prices for individuals have been raised by 12%. The British government has set up a fund of GBP 500 million to pay the bills of low-income families.
The article quotes Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying at the ceremony of receiving the credentials of the new EU ambassador to Baku on October 6 that Azerbaijan is ready to increase natural gas supplies to Europe. The author writes that the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe began in late December via the Southern European gas corridor passing through the giant Shah Deniz field, Georgia and Turkey. The scheme aims to diversify supplies to Europeans and reduce their dependence on Russian gas.