"A powerful signal for the critics of the" Nord Stream - 2 ": as commented in Germany on the draft amendments to the EU gas directive

Reaching an agreement on the EU gas directive, including the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, has become a “strong signal” for critics of this initiative. This was stated by the Minister of Economics of Germany Peter Altmeier.

“Every country has the right to freely maintain the economic and trade relations that it considers correct. “Nord Stream 2 is first and foremost a private project that many countries have already approved,” Altmayer said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag.

According to him, recently the Nord Stream 2 AG project has been subjected to a number of “ideologically motivated” criticisms, primarily from the United States. According to him, Berlin has never "allowed and will not allow itself to be blackmailed."

“I recalled in Washington that Germany for 40 years, that buys gas from Russia, had extremely positive experience. Even when the Soviet Union collapsed, the country adhered to its obligations, ”explained the head of the German Ministry of Economics.

• The welding process on board the lay vessel C10
• © nord-stream2.com

On Friday, February 8, Berlin and Paris agreed on a draft amendment to the EU gas directive. Proposals for the revision of this document appeared in 2017, but since then the process was hampered by the German side, because in the original version the draft amendments were aimed at creating obstacles for the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The current version of the document, as well as the previous one, implies the extension of "the rules of the gas market in force in the EU to and from gas pipelines to third countries." At the same time, exceptions are possible from this rule. And the decision on whether these exceptions will act on a specific gas pipeline will be made not by the European Commission, but by the state on whose territory the pipeline from third countries enters the EU territory.

In the case of Nord Stream 2, this state is Germany, which has repeatedly advocated for a gas pipeline from Russia.

However, this draft amendment to the gas directive has yet to be approved by the European Parliament by the EU Council.

Add that the “Nord Stream - 2” can be one of the topics of the Munich Security Conference, which will be held from February 15 to 17. This was stated by the head of the forum Wolfgang Ischinger. At the same time, according to him, after the approval of the new European Commission and the European Parliament, a “completely new game” can begin.

Moscow noted that the pipeline is more cost-effective than any other gas delivery route to the EU, “there can be no safer and more stable route”.

“We categorically disagree with the claims that this leads to an increase in Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, because such projects do not attract someone’s dependence on something - they primarily provide interdependence, because, equally, as Europeans depend on Russian gas, as well as Russia as a supplier depends on European demand, ”said Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.

As Igor Shatrov, deputy director of the National Institute for the Development of Modern Ideology, noted in a conversation with RT, Berlin defended his position on the construction of a pipeline across the sea.

“In fact, the very beginning of the implementation of the Nord Stream— 2 project in itself testified to the fact that Germany independently determines its energy policy. Moreover, it is not going to depend on the United States. There are some pan-European documents that may have been holding back government decisions, ”Shatrov explained.

According to the expert, for Berlin it was very strange to hear about the need to refuse to cooperate with Moscow, since Russia and "is not a monopolist on the European market."

“In this case, the interests of German companies were a priority for the German government. This is not just a gas supply, this is the construction of infrastructure, these are investments from Germany, these are revenues that German companies will receive in the future and, accordingly, the German treasury, ”the expert noted.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, once again criticized the gas pipeline project. According to him, Germany should not become more dependent on Moscow in the issue of gas supplies, if really concerned about the "threat from Russia."

“America only reminds its important alliance partner that now is not the time to weaken NATO. Russia is on our doorstep, everyone should be clear that NATO needs to be strengthened now, ”the American diplomat noted.

We note that at the beginning of 2019, Grenell sent out a letter to German companies with warnings about the possibility of imposing sanctions for participating in the construction of the gas pipeline.

Along with him, critical statements about the Nord Stream - 2 are regularly allowed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin (who believes that the pipeline may have unforeseen geopolitical consequences) and US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker (advocating financial restrictions against construction participants).

“The special representative is excessively talkative and more than once openly went beyond his authority. Why are his appeals to European countries to refuse to support the project, to introduce new sanctions against Russia? All this does not fit the logic of fair mediation in relieving tensions, ”said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in an interview with RIA Novosti.