EU presents Energy Strategy

A few days ago EU Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger unveiled the new EU Energy Strategy. It is long overdue and I expect it heralds serious commitment on supra-national level to tackle the energy problems that Europe faces. And they are not one and two in the field of policy, politics, technology and the related effects for the environment.

The strategy has 5 key priorities as well as a number of action points that if developed and implemented correctly can make a lot of difference for the lives of the 500 million EU citizens.

Attention: Nagorno Karabakh

I regret that it gets harder and harder to write this blog not least because there are so many things to write about.

One of them is something few people tend to discuss these days – the frozen conflicts, and the one in Nagorno Karabakh in particular.

I think it will not be long before international diplomacy focuses its attention in the South Caucasus again. And just like the last time, it may be because of a conflict. Then however, it will be too late to comment and warn. In order not to face the harsh realities of negotiating seize-fire in the middle of a fierce conventional war, one would rather not leave the frozen conflicts on their own. Because they tend to defrost once  in a  while.

How to make the best of EU’s energy policy?

After the January gas crisis the issue of energy security and gas supply is increasingly discussed in Bulgaria. The country has very energy inefficient economy and is almost 100% dependent on Russian gas imports. This is why the question about Bulgaria’ s participation in the big energy projects is every more relevant. Solving the energy security issues in Bulgaria depends on solving them at European scale. The mega projects Nabucco and South Stream are often mentioned as saviors of EU’s energy security, but they are too expensive and hard to come about politically. Besides, these projects are all about pipes, but not about developing of gas sources and effective distribution. Instead, the EU needs Single Energy Policy and an Energy Regulatory Agency to diced about gas imports, exports and transit at EU-wide level. This is the shortest way to deliver more energy security and to optimize consumption and reserves.