Poland to oppose EU proposal for mandatory cuts in electricity use

WARSAW

Poland plans to come out against an EU proposal for mandatory cuts in electricity use, according to the country's climate minister.

"We will definitely oppose it," Anna Moskwa told Polsat, Polish free-to-air television channel, on Wednesday in an interview.

Moskwa said that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who made the proposal, "does not have the authority to force any country to reduce its energy use," and such decisions were in the jurisdiction of independent countries.

Poland has already reduced its energy consumption by 25% in industry and 17% in general use, she added.

Von der Leyen made statements on the proposal as a step to help curb the energy crisis in Europe.

She had noted that the EU supplied 40% of its natural gas from Russia before the war in Ukraine broke out and that this had fallen to 9% more recently.

The EU will propose to set a goal to reduce consumption during peak electricity usage, said the European Commission chief.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar