Confusion to Nord Stream – Schwäbische Post

Gazprom wants new gas pipeline – Eastern Europeans are against it

Gazprom wants the big Baltic Sea gas pipeline build between Russia and Germany. But the political responsibilities are unclear.

Once it has been popped for Nord Stream 2. In December the Chancellor and her Italian colleague Renzi clashed. Renzi revolted about unequal treatment: Unfazed exaggerating the Federal Republic the expansion of Russian gas supplies to the northern route ahead, although interesting for Italy southern variant South Stream because of EU concerns had to be canceled. Merkel tried the thing to depoliticise. Nord Stream 2 is “an economic project”. If it were that simple ..

long since it has been found that the method Merkel – Business is business, politics is something else – not a panacea is. When Nord Stream 2 plug the legal issues full policy. Opinions vary widely, who actually has to grant that permission. Only the countries whose territory crosses the tube – so in addition to Russia and Germany as a starting point and destination, Finland, Sweden and Denmark? Or Brussels, the European Commission? ? For the entire route or only the sections that run through international waters

What is confusing the confusion of responsibilities, showed tapers: The Polish Antimonopoly UOKiK put transversely located. Although no Polish company is involved in the project. But because the Western partners (BASF subsidiary Wintershall and Eon offshoot Uniper, the French group Engie which Dutch Shell and OMV from Austria) are active with other stores in Poland, the OCCP claimed co-decision-making power.

The Western companies withdrew first back from the joint venture. For Gazprom, there is still no mistaking: Nord Stream come. 2 “The company is, it works,” says Gazprom vice president Alexander Medvedev. “We continue to pursue our plan.” In September, the first tube segments to be delivered. How are the international partners want to participate now, is their thing.

The medium- and osteuropäschen States are closed against Nord Stream 2, because the security of supply is jeopardized in their region. The relevant EU representatives make front against the project. It increases the dependence on Russia, hindering the development of new sources of supply and harms the existing transit countries Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia.

The eastern EU member states have a right to “non-discriminatory access to energy,” said Commission President Jean -Claude Juncker. “I am for pipelines connecting, not for pipelines that separate!”

The European Parliament is also Contra. There are not only East MPs as the Lithuanian Petras Auštrevičius who fulminate against “the killer project”. CSU politician Manfred Weber, head of the Christian Democrat EPP Group, shares the concern. Nord Stream 2 is “incompatible” with the objectives of energy, foreign and EU security policy, Weber wrote to Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel and the European Commission.

The faces legally have the upper hand. “Nord Stream 2 must … be fully compatible with EU energy and environmental law,” EU Energy Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič told the EU Parliament. The regulatory framework stipulates in particular that a company may not simultaneously be the line owner and supplier. The pipeline must be open to third parties. Moreover, no additional supply risk may arise. With all these demands Gazprom would have problems – if because Nord Stream 2 is covered by EU law

The deny not only the project developers and the participating Western companies.. Also Minister Gabriel considers responsible are only national authorities.