The Minister of Justice of the Czech Republic is alarmed by the energy crisis of the country. Photo credit: Úřad vlády ČR
Prague, Aug 26 (CTK) – The political system of the Czech Republic may be threatened if the current energy crisis is not resolved, Justice Minister Pavel Blazek (ODS) told the Czech parliament today.
Blazek said he agreed with discussions about capping the price of energy, and would look for a way to make it possible under law.
He was responding to proposals from opposition lawmakers of measures to address the soaring prices of energy.
Blazek said the situation was even worse than described by the opposition. The social situation and atmosphere is now the most dramatic since the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, he said.
“If the crisis in the energy sectors is not resolved, the political system of this country will be threatened. If no European solution is found, even the EU as such may be jeopardised,” Blazek said, warning of a possible revolution.
There is no way out apart from the negotiations about capping energy prices, though this approach is quite complicated and many lawyers argue that it is impossible, he noted.
“I will now do nothing but look for such a legal solution in which this would be possible,” Blazek said.
The state need not set the price level, but could set a limit for the profit margins of producers and sellers. In that case, he added, no conflicts would arise over compensation for the damage because there would be no legal claim to profit.
“If the government does not resolve the crisis in the energy sector, it will not be here for long anyway,” Blazek said, commenting on the speeches and conduct of the opposition.
The senior opposition ANO has tabled a no-confidence motion in the government with the support of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD).
Earlier today, the Association of Regions asked the government to regulate the prices of gas and electricity for households from next year.
It said the government should set the state energy dealer to which the firms would have to sell the energy. The government should work to acquire a 100% stake in the production capacities of the CEZ national power company.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) said the proposals of the Association of Regions were nothing new and that the government was already dealing with them,.discussing the European setting of maximum prices as well as the transformation of CEZ. However, none of the proposed measures offers a swift and simple solution, Fiala said.
