Taraba: Postponement of ETS2 First Step towards Dismantling Green Deal

Bratislava, 11 February (TASR) - The postponement of the ETS2 system is the first step that could lead to the dismantling of the entire Green Deal in the near future, said Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) after the government session on Wednesday. "We aren't satisfied with what has been negotiated so far, but I consider the decision to postpone ETS2 to be the first prerequisite for dismantling the entire Green Deal in the near future, which I believe will happen," stated Taraba. He reiterated that Slovakia maintains its opposition to the ETS2 system and will continue to support all steps aimed at preventing a further decline in the competitiveness of European industry due to high energy prices, which have been caused by ill-conceived measures in achieving climate targets. "We support all alliances within the European Union with their goal of reducing pressure on industry, because financing a welfare state is impossible if businesses aren't generating profits," said Taraba. On Tuesday (10 February), the European Parliament definitively approved the EU climate target for 2040, envisaging a 90-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to 1990. Under the revised legislation, the launch of the ETS2 system has been postponed from 2027 to 2028. jrg/df