Gas-Schmäh“: Gas aus Russland kommt mehr denn je – doch wir bezahlen für die falsche Politik

Inflation and rising energy prices have been a constant concern for Austria. In 2022, energy prices skyrocketed when the black-green government announced its intention to no longer rely on Russian gas due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) boldly announced the decision to phase out Russian gas, even though Russia had never neglected its delivery obligations or used them as leverage, not even during the height of the Cold War. The goal was to punish Russia for its attack on Ukraine, so Austria was supposed to move away from Russian gas. Nehammer and Gewessler embarked on frantic activities, such as visits to the United Arab Emirates to purchase liquefied gas. A year ago, Gewessler ordered a tanker load of liquefied gas via Genoa, which was not only much more expensive than pipeline gas, but also resulted in 247% more greenhouse gas emissions than coal. However, in this case, climate concerns were disregarded.

As a result, gas prices soared. While electricity and oil became consistently cheaper in 2023, end-user prices for district heating and gas continued to rise. Since August 2021, gas prices in Austria have tripled and increased by twenty percent since the beginning of the year. And all this against the backdrop of no changes in gas imports. On the contrary, Austria not only continues to import a large portion of its natural gas from Russia, but the share of Russian gas has even increased. In February 2022, before the Ukraine conflict, 79% of the required energy source came from Russia, and in September of this year, it rose to 80%.

The government’s „gas deception“ was already pointed out by unzensuriert in February, after 71% of the gas came from Russia in December of the previous year. According to the energy regulatory authority E-Control, the share of Russian natural gas in imports averaged 60% throughout 2023. So, after a year and a half of government rhetoric, what remains? Gas still comes from Russia, but Austrians are paying significantly more for heating

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„Gas-Schmäh“: Mehr denn je kommt Gas aus Russland – aber wir zahlen die falsche Politik

Inflation und gestiegene Energiepreise halten Österreich seit Langem im Atem. Die Energiepreise schossen 2022 drastisch in die Höhe, als die schwarz-grüne Regierung angekündigt hatte, künftig auf russisches Gas verzichten zu wollen, weil russische Truppen in der Ukraine einmarschiert waren. „Solange Russland liefert“ Vollmundig hatten Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) und Energieministerin Leonore Gewessler (Grüne) den Ausstieg aus russischem Gas angekündigt. Und das, obwohl nicht einmal in den heißesten Phasen des Kalten Krieges Russland seine Lieferverpflichtungen vernachlässigt oder sie als Druckmittel eingesetzt hatte. Es galt vielmehr, Russland für seinen Angriff auf die Ukraine zu bestrafen. Daher sollte Österreich auf Wunsch der Regierung weg vom russischem Gas. Nehammer und Gewessler setzten hektische Aktivitäten wie Besuche in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten, um Flüssiggas einzukaufen.

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