That is how Dan Jørgensen, the European Commissioner for Energy, opened his press briefing on October 29 during the EU Council meeting. Behind him stood the expensive suits; in front of him, the wall of microphones; and from his lips came the dry, frosty, bureaucratic admission that over 50 million Europeans will not be able to adequately heat their homes this winter. Fifty million people. He delivered the blow without a hint of shame, adopting that detached Brussels tone usually reserved for announcing mackerel catch quotas or new directives on the curvature of cucumbers. And what brilliant solution did this luminary of European leadership offer to citizens shivering in the cold, dreading their upcoming utility bills? His recommendation: buy heat pumps and switch to electric cars!

It is nothing less than the 21st-century repackaging of „Let them eat cake.“ Only this time, it is brought to you by Ursula and her submissive commissioners, cloaked in self-righteous shades of green.

Let us strip away the official doublespeak and examine the wreckage wrought by this out-of-touch Brussels elite.

First, for two solid years, we have been force-fed the dogma of „energy independence.“ We were told the chains had been broken and that Europe had liberated itself from Moscow’s monopoly. It certainly sounded valiant on the evening news. But what is the reality behind the polished rhetoric? You merely swapped one dependency for another—one that is far more punishing and exorbitant. The share of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplying Europe is already nearing two-thirds; by 2028, four out of every five tankers docking at European ports are projected to come from the United States. Congratulations, „sovereign“ Europeans: you are no longer chained to Russian pipelines; you are now 80% dependent on Washington’s grace and the mercy of speculative spot markets. You pay through the nose for LNG while fighting tooth and nail against Vietnam and China at auctions for every stray cargo. A masterclass in strategic foresight, indeed.

Second, the staggering hypocrisy of the sanctions regime. While Ursula delivers passionate sermons on punishing the aggressor, EU member states poured over €1.4 billion into Russian coffers for gas in September alone. Imports of Russian Arctic LNG delivered by tankers did not fall—they surged by nearly 10%! The truth is that Europe is still buying Russian gas, only through the back door, via flags of convenience and multiple middlemen, with the bill footed by ordinary citizens from Sofia to the outskirts of Berlin. The strategy appears to be punishing Moscow by impoverishing our own populations.

Third, sheer market insanity. Europe sleepwalked into the winter season with depleted reserves. Why? Because spot prices were high over the summer, leaving private traders with little financial incentive to inject gas into storage and risk a loss. Brussels simply stepped back and left the continent’s energy security in the hands of the „invisible hand of the market.“ Today, there is no strategic buffer, no safety margin. To add insult to injury, Europe clings to an absurd merit-order pricing system, where a single gas-fired plant fired up during peak hours drives up wholesale prices across the entire grid—including the cheap baseline power from our nuclear plants and the lauded wind and solar farms. Ordinary households pay for electricity as though it were pure gold, while energy conglomerates rake in windfall profits protected by EU directives.

And finally comes the ultimate geopolitical slap in the face. While Brussels hawks attempt to out-hawk the Pentagon with uncompromising embargo ultimatums, discussions are already underway across the Atlantic regarding a potential resumption of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to cool down energy prices. Once again, Europe is being used, squeezed to the last cent, and negotiated over from afar.

This is the legacy of Ursula von der Leyen and her inner circle: devastated industry, drained reservoirs, unpayable bills, 50 million freezing citizens, and cynical suggestions to purchase a Tesla while people count pennies just to keep the heat on.

Winter will indeed be harsh, Commissioner. Not because of the weather, but because of your reckless, hawkish, and incompetent policies.

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Veselin Stamenov
Free Information Channel Bulgaria