A return to nuclear energy could be a key solution for Europe’s energy security, believes Aleksandar Nikolić from the Patriots for Europe group. Amid ongoing debates on the energy transition and security of supply in Europe, the Member of the European Parliament and representative of Patriots for Europe, Aleksandar Nikolić, criticises the European Union’s current policy, describing it as ideological and inefficient.
In an interview for EUpravo Zato, the representative of this French parliamentary group in the European Parliament advocates a stronger return to nuclear energy, a greater role for the state in the strategic management of the sector, and a more flexible approach that would take into account the specificities of each country, including candidate countries such as Serbia.
As a representative of the Patriots for Europe group, how do you define Europe’s approach to the energy transition, particularly in the context of source diversification and energy security?
"It is ideological, whereas it should be pragmatic. The Commission, as well as political groups on the left, centre and right, continue to support intermittent energy sources, regardless of their cost and low efficiency. For years, the European Union has ignored, and even suppressed, nuclear energy - the only truly clean, abundant and affordable energy. Only after the energy dead-end it led us into has the Commission cautiously begun to change direction. European energy independence will come through more nuclear reactors, more hydroelectric power and more geothermal energy, not through more wind turbines and solar panels."
REPowerEU, as a key EU initiative, strongly promotes diversification and reducing dependence on individual suppliers. Where do you see the main political and economic challenges in implementing such a model at the European level, including candidate countries?
"Generally speaking, greater independence from foreign suppliers, whoever they may be, is desirable. Recent events, whether the war in Ukraine or the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, show the extent of our dependencies and their direct impact on our economies and the purchasing power of our citizens. Diversification of our energy sources and suppliers is therefore a necessity. However, I can only note Brussels’ political will to impose a single model on Member States and candidate countries, one that does not take national specificities into account. In the specific case of Serbia, for example, it cannot be expected to copy the German or French model overnight without jeopardising its industry and citizens’ purchasing power."
In debates on energy policy, the question of balance between the market and state control is often raised. Which model do you consider sustainable for ensuring long-term stable energy security in Europe?
"Each country should have its own model! What works in country A does not necessarily work in country B. However, as a Frenchman, I admire the legacy of General de Gaulle and Pierre Messmer. Their decision to rely on nuclear energy proved successful and enabled France to have the cheapest and cleanest electricity in Europe. This would not have been achieved without careful state leadership and major public investment. We should also acknowledge today the exceptional expertise and skills of numerous French companies in the nuclear sector, with EDF at the forefront. That is the French model I favour - a combination of strategic state direction and efficient companies."
How do you reconcile energy security and climate goals? In the case of Serbia, would you prioritise investment in renewable energy sources or the preservation of existing infrastructure such as coal-fired power plants?
"That is a question Serbs must answer themselves, free from external pressure, whether from Brussels or elsewhere. I can only warn them about the limitations of intermittent energy sources and their impact on household budgets. After all, as I have already said, France found its solution decades ago by relying on nuclear energy: clean, affordable and abundant energy."
(EUpravo zato.rs)