Curbs on energy consumption ‘not in the picture,’ says gov’t spokesman

The government is not planning to introduce measures for containing electricity consumption by household and businesses, according to spokesman Giannis Oikonomou, who said that restrictions similar to those being adopted by other European countries like Germany are “not in the picture.”

“There is nothing on the table right now, no thoughts for restriction or mandatory measures of some kind, nor does such a move seem necessary from where we’re standing,” Oikonomou told Skai TV on Tuesday morning.

“Our task is to observe and keep note of the situation with accuracy, without panicking but also without dressing it up. There is no doubt that a difficult winter lies ahead,” the spokesman for the center-right government added.

Oikonomou assured that the government will continue taking measures to ensure that households and businesses do not feel the full impact of runaway electricity prices, reminding that it plans to spend 2 billion euros in September alone to this end.

These subsidies, he said, will reduce the increases on electricity bills by 94% for 6 million households, by 100% for those with a social discount, by 84% for businesses and by 90% for farmers.

The program is “essential and appropriate,” Oikonomou added.