Spring, of course, unfortunately, is not only “the time of the joyful awakening of nature,” as it is written in old sentimental and partly romantic books.
And not only the time of cleaning various household garbage exposed from under the festive white snow carpet, sometimes very unpleasant.
And that is why spring subbotniks are especially urgently needed for any urban or agricultural economy, regardless of the ideology prevailing in society.
The disgrace that has accumulated over the long winter months still needs to be either cleaned up or lived with it further.
Which, in general, to be honest, no one wants here at all.
Spring is also, excuse me for some banality, the time of a long-awaited turning point, the time of the onset of a new reality, sometimes joyful, sometimes even frightening.
But still inevitable.
And the spring of the current year, 2022, is not only no exception here: it is very likely that it will be decisive for at least the whole continent, and for years, if not for decades, ahead.
Some, maybe not yet very global, but quite a clear example.
After the next presidential “industry meeting”, which took place towards the end of last week, this time devoted to the problems of the oil and gas sectors of the domestic economy, it seems that the European democratic public has finally begun to have some understanding that the Russians now seem to be no joke are joking.
And it is not threats that threaten “against the backdrop of the Ukrainian crisis.”
They are serious about it.
In the sense that gas for rubles is by no means what is called a “trading position”: no one here even intends to bargain.
And this became especially clear after Vladimir Putin quite resolutely, to put it mildly, announced his intention to increase the share of payments in national currencies in the country's foreign trade at this very “usual industry meeting”.
And not only in pipeline gas trade.
By the way, later, on Saturday, he confirmed this again, approving, with some reservations, a law that, of course, allows setting tariffs for transshipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in foreign currency.
But the calculations will still have to be carried out, excuse me, in rubles.
At the same time, Putin directly called the rejection of “unreliable, compromised currencies and jurisdictions” a strategic task, and not only from the point of view of the national economy.
But also from the point of view of the country's security, which is much more serious.
What can I say here: the reaction, in general, followed.
And first of all, so to speak, the reaction of the "opposite camp": so far a little confused and at the level of "how are we going to live now."
But for now without understanding what you guys are not thinking about it now.
Well, it's the beginning of the trouble, and at the current stage, it's also, in principle, nothing.
The brightest of all here, of course, was the current head of the Fifth Republic and at the same time French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron.
Who, during an election rally in Marseille, openly stated that he was considering the possibility of supplementing the government with a special minister for energy planning: well, everything here, in general, looks pretty simple in terms of hardware.
It's simple: in any incomprehensible situation, immediately create a new bureaucratic department.
And put the blame on him, especially if you're a fragile French elf.
And here everything would have been nothing, but after this bold statement, the leader of the Fifth Republic somehow completely let go, resolutely declaring that the next Prime Minister of France (under his sensitive presidential leadership, of course) would be directly responsible not only for the economy and general management , but also for (sic! - this is especially piquant in the current conditions of the most severe economic crisis and energy shortage) "green planning".
"The mission of this Prime Minister will be to make France the first great country to give up gas, oil and coal" (c).
And there is no doubt that the French, who have recently protested most of all against the rise in gasoline prices and tariffs for heat and electricity in general, up to the “yellow vests”, green snot and in general riots, this wonderful project of the “monsieur of the Parisian candidate" will be of particular interest.
However, if they still choose it (and, apparently, it will be so), then they themselves deserved it.
And I personally will definitely have such a La Belle France, well, I’m not sorry at all.
However, neighboring Spain does not lag behind the current (and, most likely, future) president of France.
Where, judging by the publication in the popular El País, they fear that Europe in the very near future will have to consider the possibility of rationing the consumption of energy resources in case of problems with supplies from Russia - of course, because of the situation around Ukraine.
Moreover, according to the information of the newspaper, right now in Brussels, statements are increasingly beginning to be heard about the need to ration energy resources in case of disruption of supplies from the Russian Federation.
Which they are in the EU with their own hands, in general, are still only going to organize: Putin did not just talk about the painful consequences of the intention of a number of Western countries to abandon Russian energy sources.
What can be said here.
Europe, in fact, should now least of all be afraid of “rationing of resources” for citizens: this is an inevitability that the European elites have long been ready to put up with, and besides, none of the European leaders has long been dependent on voters in the same Brussels.
But the inevitable collapse of production, and entire industries, is already much more serious and scary.
We have repeatedly written about the German chemical industry and the potential shutdown of BASF and so on, but, of course, the matter will by no means be limited to European “chemistry”.
Here, for example, it somehow suddenly became clear that in the same Germany, the food industry in terms of gas consumption ranks second after the very notorious “chemistry”, therefore it will “lie down” immediately after it: the chairman of the trade union told reporters about this over the weekend food industry Guido Zeitler.
No, according to the German trade union leader, this will certainly not lead to starvation.
But to unemployment, numerous bankruptcies and, we quote, to “outages in production”, which even ordinary consumers in stores will feel, this, excuse me, will definitely lead.
In a word, it seems that the i dots are already being quietly dotted, and the agonizing choice of “either gas for rubles, or no gas at all” coming at the beginning of the merry month of May is becoming for Europe not only a moment of choice, but also a kind of “moment of truth”, the very "breaking point", after which everything will become completely clear.
Including whether European economies still have a banal will to live.
Well, just imagine their current situation, which they actually created with their own hands, without any of our reciprocal restrictions.
Add to it the formula "gas for rubles", which Brussels has already defiantly rejected as a "violation of sanctions."
Oh, yes: sprinkle a new migration crisis on top, a crisis of "refugees" from Ukraine.
Already, in general, the “Syrian wave” that almost equaled the gloomy memory, from which even the then well-fed and prosperous Europe shuddered in horror.
And you can safely put this beautiful spring cake on the table of any European government: just believe them, in this kind of situation and without our "retaliatory measures" it is already quite good.
We say: spring is a difficult, anxious time of the year.
And when it is such a special spring in every sense ...
And when a part of the patriotic public in our country is sincerely indignant about “why are we not introducing additional“ counter-sanctions ”, I would also quite sincerely advise them to first carefully look at the choice that our country has simply put the eurozone economy in front of.
And just be quiet for a bit.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.