Environmental Foundation for Nord Stream 2
Altmaier was “not amused” about the construct
04/30/2022, 01:11 am
With an alleged climate foundation, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania secured the construction of Nord Stream 2 against US sanctions at the beginning of 2021. Apparently, the state government is also trying to get the blessing from Berlin, but the then Economics Minister Altmaier reacted sceptically.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania decided in 2021 to secure the construction of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline with the now controversial foundation, although the then Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier said he had concerns. The CDU politician had been consulted by the SPD before the decision was made by his then state colleague and party friend Harry Glawe and by the then Schwerin energy minister and today’s interior minister Christian Schwachen – with the result “that the project raised concerns for me at the time,” how Altmaier of the German Press Agency said.
He found out about the project a few days before the phone calls. Altmaier’s account is consistent with Glawes, who reported to “Welt am Sonntag” that he was commissioned by the cabinet under Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig to speak to Altmaier. He called Altmaier two days before the state parliament decision. He had given him to understand that he was “not amused” about the plan with the foundation. “I then informed the State Chancellery that the enthusiasm in Berlin was limited,” said Glawe of the “WamS”.
Schwesig had explained that the federal government at the time was informed about the establishment of the foundation. The foundation was largely financed with funds from the Nord Stream company and, in addition to promoting the climate, was primarily intended to ensure that the gas pipeline from Russia could be completed despite US sanctions against the companies involved. Because of the tricky construct, Schwesig is now heavily criticized after the Russian attack on Ukraine. According to research by “Welt am Sonntag”, the main file for setting up the foundation is currently untraceable.