Greens are demanding a review of Schwesig’s role in Nord Stream 2 | NDR.de – News

Green politicians are calling for the role of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) to be reviewed in connection with the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The matter is “more than problematic” and urgently needs to be clarified, said the chairman of the European Committee Bundestag, Anton Hofreiter, on Tuesday at NDR MV Live. The time of “covering up” is over. “In 2014 Putin attacked Ukraine for the first time and in 2015 the contracts for Nord Stream 2 were signed. And when there were sanctions, the state government was not above setting up a so-called environmental and climate foundation to cover the sanctions bypass.” That was “more than scandalous,” said Hofreiter. Just admitting that you made a mistake is not enough. Rather, it applies to Schwesig, who “has taken on so much responsibility”, to draw conclusions.

Hofreiter: Schwesig is said to support an oil embargo and the delivery of heavy weapons

Hofreiter would wish that Schwesig would now use all her strength for Ukraine by having to fight vehemently within the SPD for an oil embargo and the delivery of heavy weapons. “That means not just saying ‘sorry’, but really changing your politics.” Hofreiter welcomed the establishment of a parliamentary committee of inquiry in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In addition, the Union is also asked to work through the events in its own ranks. Because the CDU was involved in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania when the Nord Stream 2 contract was signed in the government in the north-east and also held the Federal Chancellery.

additional Information

Files released by the state government show that Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig was privy to the founding of the controversial climate foundation. more

Röttgen recommends Schwesig’s resignation

CDU foreign affairs expert Norbert Röttgen recently suggested that Schwesig resign after reports of her ties with Moscow. Schwesig had colluded with a Russian company and consistently and deliberately deceived the public. If the facts described in the media are true, Schwesig cannot remain in office, Röttgen said in an interview with the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. Hofreiter said something similar on NDR MV Live: “Of course, it is particularly problematic if the allegations turn out to be correct – and everything indicates that they are correct – and she told the untruth.”

demand for transparency

Other Green politicians made similar statements. “The interweaving between the Schwerin state government and the Russian state-owned company Gazprom was always devastating and must now finally be dealt with,” said the federal chairman of the Greens, Omid Nouripour, the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (FAZ) on Tuesday. Schwesig’s previous statements are not enough. Hannes Damm, energy and climate policy spokesman for the Greens in the MV state parliament, meanwhile called for the Prime Minister to face up to her responsibility and put all her cards on the table: “So far, Manuela Schwesig has not ensured transparency, despite repeated announcements. Instead, it is claimed that all allegations made are false,” he said.

additional Information

The CDU foreign expert said that if the facts described in the media were true, the MV Prime Minister could not remain in office. More at tagesschau.de
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Government spokesman rejects criticism

Government spokesman Andreas Timm dismissed Röttgen’s criticism as implausible. The construction of the Baltic Sea pipeline was always advocated by the previous federal government made up of CDU and SPD. The Climate and Environmental Protection Foundation Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was launched under a state government made up of SPD and CDU and with a large majority in the state parliament, Timm said when asked by NDR. Schwesig himself did not comment on Tuesday. Her head of state chancellery, Patrick Dahlemann, called for objectivity. “Putin’s attack changed everything, and that’s why we should concentrate together on the legal options for dissolving the foundation,” said Dahlemann. Immediately after the start of the war in Ukraine, the state parliament decided to dissolve the foundation, which Schwesig also supports. However, the chairman of the board, ex-Prime Minister Erwin Sellering (SPD), has so far resisted this for legal reasons.

Political scientist: Schwesig is not the only one who made mistakes

The Rostock political scientist Wolfgang Muno called for the complete disclosure of all economic connections with Russia. “This Russia connection is not just about Schwesig, it’s about all the processes that concern economic cooperation between Russia and Germany,” Muno said on Tuesday. Although Schwesig’s position is currently in serious danger, she sees herself exposed to demands for her resignation. “But looking at the bigger picture could save her, because she’s far from the only one who can be accused of making mistakes in Russia policy,” said the political scientist.

Large parts of the German energy infrastructure sold to Russia

Muno recalled that large parts of the energy infrastructure had been sold to Russia in recent years. For example, Gazprom Germania is the owner of important companies in the German gas industry. These include the gas wholesaler Wingas and the gas storage operator Astora, which operates the largest gas storage facility in Germany. “The fact that the storage facilities were at an all-time low at the beginning of the war is to be seen as Russia’s war strategy.” Such events would also require a public apology from those responsible for the massive and negligent misjudgments.

“One tries to put pressure on the SPD”

His colleague, the Rostock political scientist Jan Müller, said on NDR MV Live about the demands for resignation addressed to Schwesig that there was “pressure within Berlin”. “They are trying to put pressure on the SPD. One notices that the federal SPD is not particularly happy and active in communication and external communication.” The Schwesig cause offers a target for demands for a change in the SPD’s Ukraine policy.

Does the state government have the will to clarify?

In May, a parliamentary committee of inquiry in Schwerin will look into the background of the climate foundation. The FDP – with parliamentary group leader René Domke – is now warning of the disappearance of documents on the climate foundation. The liberals are expressing a clear sign of doubt as to the state government’s willingness to provide information. With his fear, Domke also alludes to the fact that the press was first able to see almost 1,000 pages of information on the climate foundation. The Greens are also dissatisfied with the status of the information and are considering going before the state constitutional court.

The foundation was set up in early 2021 with the aim of completing the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline while circumventing the threat of sanctions from the USA.

additional Information

The controversial climate and environmental protection foundation is also becoming a burden for Prime Minister Schwesig at the federal level. more

The chairman of the board of the foundation, Erwin Sellering (SPD), had already announced the step on Monday. more

The state parliament opposition wants to have the background of the controversial foundation clarified in a parliamentary committee of inquiry. more

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the state parliament in MV decided to dissolve the foundation co-financed by the Russian pipeline operator. more