This is the first agreement in Italy to pursue the “de-Russification” of imported gas.
Italy, April 11, took the first large-scale step in the direction of reducing dependence on Russian gas – an agreement was signed with Algeria, which will increase supplies to Italy immediately by 40%. This was reported by Reuters.
Currently, Italy consumes about 30 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year. This is 40% of its total consumption. Algeria ranks second as a supplier of natural gas. The Trans-Mediterranean gas pipeline has a daily capacity of over 110 million cubic meters and is loaded with only 60 million cubic meters.
The Italian government is in talks with a list of countries, including Congo, Angola, Azerbaijan and Qatar, to replace Russia gas. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has publicly explained that replacing 30-40% of supplies from Russia is not a problem. But the remaining 60% is much more complicated.
However, this movement towards independence from Russian gas is supported by the European community as a whole. The European Commission has proposed to the union a plan to reduce consumption of Russian natural gas by two-thirds this year and to stop it completely by 2027.
In a statement, the Italian energy group Eni also said it had agreed with Algeria's Sonatrach on the gradual increase in flows in the Trans-Mediterranean gas pipeline from this year, which will provide 9 billion cubic meters of additional gas per year until 2023-24.
Read also: The State Duma proposed to temporarily suspend gas supplies to the European Union It will be recalled that former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is known for his strong ties to Vladimir Putin, condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine .
