Demonstrations against EU sanctions were again held in Germany. This time, people took to the streets in Berlin criticizing the fact that the German government is helping Ukraine with weapons in the war against Russia, and that it has embarked on a policy of sanctions against Moscow. According to the demonstrators, all of this led to a decline in the German economy and drastic price increases, the M1 News reported.

Defying the rain, several thousand protested against rising energy prices in Berlin on Saturday. The demonstrators sharply criticized the German government for interfering in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. According to them, arms shipments from Germany to Ukraine and EU sanctions against Russia caused an energy crisis and drastic price increases. This year's heating bill is expected to be at least 50 percent higher than last year.

"We use natural gas for heating, but no one knows how much longer the price will rise," complained one protester.

Gas transport has stopped on the damaged Baltic Sea pipeline connecting Germany to Russia. The head of the company operating the North Stream said on Saturday: they no longer experienced gas leakage into the sea, which indicates that either the pipeline was completely emptied or the pressure of the water in the pipe equalized.

However, pipeline inspections and restoration can take months. Before the outbreak of the Russo-Ukraine war, Germany imported more than half of its annual natural gas needs from Russia.

However, due to the gas crisis, the German government is forced to focus on the development of renewable energy sources. But it's not that simple.

"Currently, the biggest challenge is shortening the authorization processes. "Since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the construction of LNG receiving terminals built in Germany has been allowed in half a year," explained the director of the German Wind Energy Association.

In the meantime, the German utility office rang the alarm again and warned of increased savings. According to their announcement, at least 20 percent savings on the part of the population are necessary to prevent an even more serious gas shortage in Germany.

Source and image: hirado.hu