Spanish and German leaders discuss alternatives to Russian gas
August 31, 2022, 9:37 am

Spanish and German leaders discuss alternatives to Russian gas

Credit: https://twitter.com/Bundeskanzler

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany on Tuesday (August 30) to discuss national security and ways to cope with the EU’s looming energy crisis, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Sanchez told a joint press conference in Berlin: “Spain is willing to use all of its capacities to help countries like Germany, which are suffering more from Putin’s energy blackmail."

He emphasized that Spain is home to 30% of all Europe’s liquid natural gas (LNG) regasification capacity.

Both Sanchez and Scholz agreed on the need to connect the Iberian Peninsula’s largely isolated gas infrastructure with the rest of the EU.

Indirectly, this agreement puts pressure on France to reconsider its pessimistic view of the Midcat pipeline that would connect it with Spain through the Pyrenees mountains.

Spanish officials argue that the pipeline could be built in a year, while French authorities have said it would take much longer than that.

Spanish and German leaders discuss alternatives to Russian gas (Photo: Pixabay)

As a “Plan B,” Sanchez added that Spain is considering a pipeline with Italy to “remove the bottlenecks.”

Meanwhile, Scholz sent a calm note about Germany’s ability to cope with Russia cutting off natural gas supplies.

Gazprom is set to suspend gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline due to "maintenance" on Wednesday for three days, sparking concerns that the shutdown could be more permanent.

Nord Stream: Russian pipeline resumes pumping gas to Europe

“You can’t say ‘we’re through with our problems,’ but you can say we are much more relaxed about the situation,” said Scholz, referring to gas reserves that are around 83% full and the rapid set up of new LNG terminals.

He said: “We are also firmly convinced that the current price formations on the electricity exchanges do not reflect the real situation.”

On Monday (August 29), German power prices for next year broke the €1,000 ($999.80) per megawatt hour threshold for the first time.

The EU's plan to cut gas use by 15% comes into effect from today

Now that Germany has more or less secured energy supply for the winter, the German chancellor said: “We can now look to the question of how we can prevent exaggerated pricing.”

During the joint presser, Sanchez also shared how Spain is moving to tax windfall profits of the energy companies benefiting from high electricity prices.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.