Swiss Police: Riots may occur this winter due to energy shortages

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Aug 2022 21:20
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The police in Switzerland is anticipating the worst possible scenario as the energy crisis deepens in the EU.

Police officers stand in formation during a protest against a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) law that is voted on in a referendum, in front of the Swiss Federal Palace, the Bundeshaus, in Bern, Switzerland, November 28, 2021 (REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann)

The Swiss police chief, Fredy Fassler, said on Saturday that people in Switzerland may go on riots if energy shortages occur in the upcoming winter.

"Power outage... will have serious consequences. Imagine the situation when we can no longer withdraw money from ATMs, we can no longer pay by card in a store or refuel at a gas station. The heaters are no longer working. The streets are all dark. In that case, it would be possible to imagine that the population would rebel," Fassler told the Blick newspaper.

He noted that he does not expect this to happen, but the authorities should be ready for the worst-case scenario.

"Switzerland is actively preparing for the threat of an electricity shortage in the winter. The energy supply is at the center of attention," he added.

The Swiss Federal Council decided on Wednesday that power plant operators could negotiate contracts for the use of backup power plants in the event of an electricity shortage this winter. Swiss authorities have warned that for the first time they may impose restrictions on energy consumption in the coming winter if electricity or gas shortages occur.

Previously, the head of the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission ElCom, Werner Luginbuhl, urged citizens to stock up on candles and firewood due to possible power outages in the country in the coming winter.

Since 2021, energy prices in Europe have been rising rapidly following a global trend. After Russia launched a military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine and the imposition of several sanctions packages against Moscow, the energy situation deteriorated considerably, prompting EU countries to search for alternatives to Russian energy supplies.

So far, efforts to address this crisis have been pitiful. For instance, in Germany, recommendations to slow or halt the consumption of gas have already been issued weeks ago in order to stock up for the coming winter.

Last week, it was reported that millions of German lower-income households will find it hard to pay their energy bills this winter amid a sharp rise in gas prices, according to Lukas Ievenkotten, head of the German Renters' Association.

On Monday, German Economy and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck lamented the entirety of the country's business model, dismissing it as reliant on cheap energy imports from Russia that will never return.

Whereas in France, French President Emmanuel Macron has hosted MBS to discuss the importance of diversifying energy supplies to EU states. But far-right French leader Marine Le Pen urged the EU to put an end to sanctions against Russia.

Earlier today, an NHS chief warned that soaring energy costs will kill more than 10,000 people in the UK this winter; a situation the NHS Confederation referred to as a "humanitarian crisis".

The EU has vowed to pursue the imposing of severe restrictions on Russia and some nation-members have recently launched a campaign to ban Russians from entering the Schengen zone.

The reality, however, is that Russia and its economy have been defying all the odds by growing at unprecedented rates.

The Russian foreign ministry revealed in April that it expects commodity flows with China to grow and trade with Beijing to reach $200 billion by 2024, according to the Interfax news agency, given that the West-led sanctions on Russia have driven Moscow to shift its economic ties and cooperation toward the East.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Russia's oil output returned to pre-war levels, producing around 10.8 million barrels a day, with new crude oil exports directed to Asia, most notably India, Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries.