Baltic Sea Pipeline: Baerbock against commissioning of Nord Stream 2

Green leader Baerbock has spoken out in favor of initially not granting an operating permit for the recently completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline. There is a threat of a violation of EU law.

It is a clear message – also to the possible coalition partners of the SPD and FDP: Green leader Annalena Baerbock accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of a “poker game” with energy prices. And for the time being she is against the commissioning of Nord Stream 2.

According to European energy law, the operator of the pipeline must “be different from the one who conducts the gas,” said Baerbock in an interview with the Funke media group.

Federal Network Agency examines possible legal violation

The German-Russian pipeline is already built. But no gas is flowing through them yet. Among other things, this is due to the fact that the Federal Network Agency is still checking whether the controversial pipeline violates EU law. This stipulates that gas production and gas transport cannot go hand in hand.

The deadline for a decision by the authorities is January 8, but the Russian company Gazprom would like to start deliveries earlier.

Don’t let Russia “blackmail” you

After completing their explorations, the SPD, Greens and FDP did not explicitly name Nord Stream 2 in their joint paper, but recorded the sentence: “European energy law applies to energy-policy projects in Germany as well.” The FDP and above all the Greens are considered sharp critics of the German-Russian project, the SPD has always defended it.

Green leader Baerbock also warned in the Funke interview that one should “not allow oneself to be blackmailed”. Critics recently accused Russia of deliberately withholding gas and thus driving up energy prices in order to increase the pressure on Germany to commission Nord Stream 2.

The Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Netschajew, expects that a new federal government will stick to the pipeline project, as he told the “Berliner Zeitung”. Natural gas supplies are “no political leverage for Russia,” said the ambassador.