Markus Krebber, the CEO of RWE, stated that Germany's regulations for protecting vital infrastructure are outdated and called for increased secrecy regarding these facilities. He made these remarks during an event in Berlin, emphasizing the need for stronger measures in light of recent sabotage attacks on the power grid in various states. Krebber noted that current rules are inadequate for addressing hybrid threats and criticized transparency regulations that allow public access to critical infrastructure details. He suggested that the principle should shift from transparency to secrecy to better protect these assets. Krebber also highlighted the importance of early threat detection and proposed that critical infrastructure should be monitored in public areas using advanced technology. He raised concerns about the response to potential threats, advocating for a broader discussion on collaboration between security authorities, the public sector, and private companies to enhance infrastructure protection.
In related news, German inflation rose to 2.9% in August, primarily driven by increased energy prices. The Federal Statistical Office reported that energy prices surged by 10.5% compared to the previous year, with motor fuels and heating oil seeing significant price hikes. Despite the overall increase in energy costs, some household energy expenses, such as electricity and natural gas, decreased. The European Central Bank is considering raising its key interest rate for the second time this year due to persistent inflation across the eurozone, which remains above the ECB's target of 2%.