Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche has denied the risk of an impending shortage of aviation fuel. In doing so, she contradicted Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had announced on Sunday that to convene the National Security Council over the kerosene shortage. In an interview with Deutschlandfunk, Reiche said that security of supply in Germany was guaranteed.
Reiche does not consider the excess profits tax on oil companies, which made large profits from the high gasoline prices caused by the war, demanded by the coalition partner SPD to make sense.
“When I hear those involved in Berlin talking again and again about an excess profits tax, we are hitting those eleven refineries that ensure that kerosene, gasoline and diesel are available in Germany,” said Reiche before an industry meeting between the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Federal Ministry of Transport with suppliers, airports, airlines and associations on Monday. It is important to keep refinery capacities high.
Strained relationship with the SPD
Last week, Reiche described the SPD proposals as “expensive, ineffective and constitutionally questionable.” Chancellor Merz appeared “disconcerted” and publicly called on the rich to exercise restraint. When asked whether Reiche still works well with her cabinet colleagues, she said on Deutschlandfunk: “We work together in a spirit of trust, with the Chancellor anyway, but also with the Federal Finance Minister.”
The coalition partner is nevertheless pushing for further measures. The seven SPD-led federal states demanded this in a letter to the Chancellor, which was available to the dpa news agency, among others Merzto set up a special Prime Minister’s Conference to discuss energy security issues. Previously had Table.Briefings reported.
EU sources up to 75 percent of its kerosene via the Strait of Hormuz
According to international voices, there is a threat of a kerosene shortage. The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, recently warnedaviation fuel could become scarce in Europe as early as May.
The states of the European Union get 50 percent of their aviation fuel from the Middle East, and even 75 percent during the summer travel season. The air transport association had therefore recently called for the national kerosene reserve to be opened.