The latest indicators are “rather reassuring” in terms of energy: Olivier Véran was confident on Wednesday and felt that the threats of power cuts were receding. At the end of the very first Council of Ministers of the year 2023, the government spokesperson also mentioned the pension reform and the Covid tests imposed on travelers arriving from China.
“The risk of cuts this winter seems to be on the decline”, announced Olivier Véran, who puts forward “several reasons”. He mentions in particular “a gradual resumption of the operation of our nuclear power plants”, but also “favorable weather conditions”, and again “the effort made by the State, companies and all French people in terms of energy sobriety” , he said during the report of the Council of Ministers. “It is therefore rather reassuring news but which should not take us away from our objective, which is that of energy sobriety”, he added.
VIDEO. “We are going to death”: this bakery will have to pay 30,000 euros per month for electricity
“We have one objective: to reduce our consumption, which does not find its only opportunity in the occasional contraction in supply or the rise in prices”, continued Olivier Véran. “Our ambition is global, it is long-term, it is not cyclical since it joins the objective of preserving our planet and humanity”. “This is why we will continue to carry the commitment of an exemplary State and that we encourage companies and citizens to maintain efforts on eco-gestures”, he concluded on this subject.
Pensions: “It is our role to secure the system”
On the pension reform and the consultations that Elisabeth Borne started on Tuesday: “These are not facade consultations, assured Véran. We want to find common and shared solutions”.
And to recall the desired timetable for the implementation of this reform: “By the end of the summer, we hope that the law will be promulgated and that it will come into force”. While the oppositions are already sharpening their weapons against this reform and the retirement age, raised to 64 or 65 years, “we are reforming in justice”, hammered the spokesperson, “it is our role to securing the pension system for the French”.
Covid tests for travelers from China, a “common sense measure”
According to the government spokesperson, the “concern” of European countries, including France, which have decided to impose Covid tests on all travelers arriving from China is “legitimate”. Olivier Véran adds that the tests will be applied “without blinking”.
“No country wants to witness an epidemic outbreak on its territory, not after all the efforts and sacrifices made for almost three years”. Presenting a negative test dating back less than 48 hours upon return from China is “a common sense measure to protect our fellow citizens and which we take without batting an eyelid”.
VIDEO. Border control: Covid tests carried out on travelers from China
“An operation was carried out at an airport” on Tuesday “with the carrying out of tests on asymptomatic passengers returning from China: one in three tests was positive, thus attesting to the need for the control measures that we are putting in place”, underlined the former Minister of Health.