Today marks the start of the routine annual maintenance work on the two lines of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Experts are warning that Russia may not turn the pipelines back on after July 21st, which could leave Germany with empty gas storage tanks this winter.

Combined with the expected gas shortage, particularly high energy prices, supply chain problems, inflation, rising grain prices due to drought and war, increasing rent prices, and the insistence on compliance with the debt brake in 2023, it all feels like sitting under the sword of Damocles - just waiting for it to fall.