Romania seeks EU aid for rising energy prices in Eastern Europe

Romania's Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, announced the country's intention to seek compensation from the EU for significantly higher energy prices in Eastern Europe compared to Western Europe. This initiative comes as Romania collaborates with Greece and Bulgaria to address the rising electricity costs in the southeastern region. Factors contributing to the price disparity include a dry year affecting hydroelectric output, interconnection issues, and maintenance work in Hungary. Burduja emphasized that while Romania supports the expansion of the single European energy market, it cannot continue to bear disproportionate costs. He plans to raise these concerns with the Council of Ministers, advocating for equal benefits in line with shared market rules. Greek Energy Minister Theodoros Skylakakis echoed these sentiments, stating that the current EU electricity market structure is failing southeastern Europe. A joint initiative among the three countries aims to establish a permanent mechanism to address extreme price fluctuations caused by the region's isolation from the broader European energy market. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to communicate these issues to the European Commission, highlighting the urgency of finding a sustainable solution to the ongoing energy crisis in the region.