We need to stand shoulder to shoulder and coordinate our efforts to try to address the extremely negative consequences of the energy crisis for many of our citizens, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen has said.
Jorgensen was speaking to journalists after an 11 May afternoon meeting he had at the Presidential Palace with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides in the presence of Finance Minister Makis Keravnos and Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michalis Damianos.
The European Commissioner stressed the need for European coordination in addressing the energy crisis, underlining that renewable energy sources can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels. He also referred to housing-related challenges and the impact of short-term rentals.
“It’s an honour to be here in Cyprus — beautiful Cyprus. We meet in turbulent times, of course, with the energy crisis. That means that we need to work together,” the Commissioner said.
“We need to stand shoulder to shoulder and coordinate our efforts to try to address these extremely negative consequences for many of our citizens,” he noted.
“One thing that is clear is that the more renewables we have in our system, the more independent we are from fossil fuels, and we need to stay on that course,” he underlined.
Housing, he said, “is also a very important issue, not only for me but also for Cyprus, so I’m very, very happy that the Presidency has chosen to put this high on the agenda.”
“Tomorrow, we are meeting with the Ministers to discuss some of the challenges we face in the housing sector in Europe,” he added.
Concluding, the Commissioner referred to the issue of short-term rentals, noting that it is a matter he is particularly engaged with.
“We want to make it easier for member states to address the problem of short-term rentals that are crowding ordinary people out of their neighbourhoods and that are unfortunately also leading to a major increase in prices in many places,” he concluded.
(Source: CNA)
