During the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, in the course of the debate titled “Gradual Phase-Out of Natural Gas Imports from Russia and Improved Monitoring of Potential Energy Dependencies,” Beata Szydło, a Law and Justice MEP, took the floor, emphasizing the importance of the decision to make the European Union independent of Russian energy resources and the need for its sustainability and consistent enforcement in the future.
“One could say, ‘Finally.’ After four years, a decision has been made that should have been taken much sooner,” noted Beata Szydło, referring to the European Union’s efforts to reduce its dependence on Russian gas imports. As she emphasized, many participants in the debate, including the EU commissioner, described this moment as historic and essential from both a current and future perspective.
The MEP, however, drew attention to the dynamic nature of European politics and the risk of a return to “business as usual,” in which economic interests may take precedence over security and common sense. “Today, we should focus above all on ensuring that this decision is not reversed in the future and that the current rules are consistently followed,” she stressed.
Beata Szydło also noted that similar consistency should apply to crude oil imports. She also recalled the decision to build Nord Stream 2, which—as she emphasized—is now widely regarded as a historic mistake. “We must draw lessons from this for the future,” she added.
