“Turn off the lights and the water boiler, then it costs to the pocket.” Greece’ Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas needed almost half a year of soaring electricity prices to come up with this genius proposal to the Greeks who are puzzled about their power bills and have no idea how to avoid being sitting in the dark if they fail to pay their energy bills.
Speaking to Ant1 TV on Friday morning, Minister Skrekas said addressing the desperate public:
“The effort must be in saving electricity. We do not forget the water heater, we do not even leave one light on. All this eventually cost costs to the pocket.”
Referring to the government support to households and businesses, Skrekas brought as example his own electricity bill. “For the same 4-month consumption I paid 280 euros last year. This year I paid 340 euros, while it would be 410-420 Euros if there were no subsidies.”
He did not mention whether he has a solar powered water boiler like millions of Greeks, how often he turns on the water heater and what is the height of his salary.
Instead, he pointed out there is a very slight de-escalation in electricity prices and an even bigger one in the gas prices in the last few days.
He said that reduction in electricity is by 30%, but the natural gas price is four times more expensive than last year.
An immediate comment came by main opposition part, left-wing SYRIZA that said in a statement When Skrekas speaks he either lies or provokes citizens.”
“End September he was claiming that the increase in power bills would be 2-3 euros, but the bills came increased three to four times. Today, however, he managed to trigger outrage among the public. Instead of supporting measures, he proposed to citizens to not forget the water heater and the lights on.”
SYRIZA described the minister’s advice as “vulgar underestimation of citizens’ intelligence that shows the degree of the moral decline of the Mitsotakis’s government.”
It demanded intervention on pricing policy of electricity and decrease of the Special Fee on fuel and natural gas.