The co-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Norbert Walter-Boryans opposed the shutdown of Nord Stream 2, according to him, the termination of the construction of the gas pipeline would mean the impossibility of relying on long-term planning of future projects.
“The biggest nonsense would be to build a debris pipeline over 1,000 kilometers. This would signal that long-term planning for future projects cannot be relied upon”, – Walter-Boryans told Passauer Neue Presse.
He stressed that Germany “does not want nuclear energy and, moreover, they plan to give up coal”.
“Then we cannot deprive ourselves of gas for the transitional period”, – said the leader of the German Social Democrats.
Nord Stream-2 is a gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany on the bottom of the Baltic Sea with a length of over 1,200 kilometers. The pipe-laying work began in 2018.
The gas pipeline passes through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Russia. It is planned that it will be able to transport 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
The United States is actively opposed to the project, which is counting on supplying its liquefied natural gas to Europe. Sanctions from Washington led to the refusal of cooperation with Nord Stream-2 by the Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas – Germanischer Lloyd (DNV GL), the Swiss company Zurich Insurance, and the Danish Ramboll.
In early May, work on the project slowed down due to a lawsuit filed by German environmentalists. Nevertheless, the construction of Nord Stream-2 is scheduled to be completed this year.
Russia has repeatedly stressed that the project is beneficial to European countries, as it helps to strengthen their energy security.