“Starve or freeze.” EU commissioner: almost 50 million Europeans can’t afford food and heating

The most vulnerable part of Europe’s population will be forced to choose between food and heating this winter.

This was stated by EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen in an interview with the Hungarian publication 444.

According to him, paying utility bills remains a serious problem for many EU residents even in a mild winter, when no additional complications arise.

“In Europe, even in an ordinary winter, almost 50 million people have difficulty paying their heating bills. If a person cannot pay for heating, they effectively have to choose between starving or freezing. This is unacceptable,” Jørgensen said.

The EU commissioner noted that the coming winter could be especially difficult due to Europe’s dependence on energy imports and rising prices amid a global fuel shortage.

“We don’t know how cold the winter will be, but we know we will need more fuel. And the shortage on the global market leads to rising prices,” he added.

In the spring, Jørgensen said the world is probably entering the worst energy crisis in its entire history.

Earlier, mass protests took place in France, Italy, Spain, Albania and Portugal amid rising living costs, the housing crisis and other social problems.