Federal government holds out the prospect of compensation for Rügen LNG terminal

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Protest against the LNG terminal on Rügen

Photo: Bernd Wüstneck / dpa

The federal government may want to accommodate the Schwerin state government in the millions of dollars in consideration demanded by the state for the construction of the Rügen terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG). In a letter quoted by the dpa news agency, the Federal Government's Commissioner for Eastern Europe, Carsten Schneider (SPD), refers to the expansion of the port of Mukran and the expansion of the railway infrastructure in Western Pomerania. Previously, the »Ostsee-Zeitung« had reported on it.

At the end of May, the Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of the Environment in Schwerin had demanded money from the federal government for measures. This is intended to increase the acceptance of the LNG terminal in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which the federal government wants to have built in Mukran on the island of Rügen and which is encountering resistance, especially on the island.

Railway line as compensation

The letter from Schneider, who is also the federal government's permanent commissioner for Mukran, states that the federal and state governments are in intensive talks, also with a view to proposed measures. In addition to the expansion of the port of Mukran, the realisation of the railway line Berlin – Angermünde – Pasewalk – Stralsund – Sassnitz – Mukran is mentioned. Possible investment sums are not mentioned.

The state had estimated about 500 million euros in its list of demands for the railway project. Accordingly, it is about an increase in the line speed to 160 kilometers per hour to Stralsund. Answers to inquiries to the Schwerin state government and the East Commissioner remained unanswered on Thursday.

So far, the conflict over the terminal has been fought with hard bandages. According to its own statements, the municipality of Binz has filed a complaint with the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig against the planned LNG terminal. The lawsuit, which was filed on Thursday by the authorized representative Reiner Geulen, is directed against the approval of the Stralsund mining office for part of the connection pipeline, which became known at the beginning of the week, the municipality announced.

Binz is up in arms

"The municipality of Binz has applied for an immediate stop to construction with the filing of the lawsuit," it continued. The municipality is completely opposed to the planned industrial plants. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) had already announced a corresponding lawsuit and the application for an immediate construction stop.

Binz has been up in arms against the project for months. According to community representatives, it threatens the environment and tourism, which is important for the island. In addition, the capacities would not be needed. The German government aims for the terminal to be operational in the coming winter. It is needed for the security of energy supply.

beb/dpa