Sunday, November 28th, 2021
How do the traffic light parties feel about this?
Morawiecki hopes to change course at Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2’s certification process is currently on hold. Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki uses the interruption to insist that Putin’s prestige project does not become his weapon of manipulation. His message is in the direction of the new German government.
The Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki urges the new federal government to change course in the dispute over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. “I would expect the new German government to do everything possible to prevent Nord Stream 2 from becoming an instrument in President Putin’s arsenal,” he said. The pipeline could be used to blackmail Ukraine and Moldova. “It is also an instrument for manipulating energy prices,” emphasized the Polish head of government.
The 1230-kilometer double line from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany has been completed, but no natural gas has yet flowed through the pipeline. Last week, the Federal Network Agency suspended a necessary certification process for the time being.
In their coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP do not directly refer to Nord Stream 2. But there is the sentence: “European energy law applies to energy policy projects in Germany as well.” According to negotiators, this can be understood as an indication that, under European law, the operator of the pipeline must be separated from the gas producer. The operator Nord Stream 2 AG is a subsidiary of the Russian gas company Gazprom.
Traffic light parties with different positions
The formulation was especially important to the Greens, who are opposed to the project. But the FDP is also skeptical, while the SPD is much more open. The pipeline arrives in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which is ruled by SPD Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig.
Morawiecki accused Russia of wanting to use energy as a kind of weapon against Ukraine. Ukraine relies on Russian supplies of oil, gas and even coal, he said. “According to some analysis, Russian blackmail in the energy sector could lead to a blackout in Ukraine.” There is potential for an energy crisis in Ukraine.