German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock said that the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream-2 cannot yet be launched due to non-compliance with EU norms, RBC writes.
“Given the current state of affairs, it is not possible to approve the operation of the pipeline, since it does not comply with European rules,” Berbock said in an interview with ZDF TV.
According to her, in order to launch the pipeline, the Nord Stream-2 operator must obtain approval from the German regulator, which will check the compliance of the Russian project with the EU Gas Directive. Currently, the certification procedure for Nord Stream-2 has been suspended, as Nord Stream-2 AG must register a subsidiary in Germany.
Russia has repeatedly stressed that Nord Stream-2 is an exclusively economic project and is being implemented jointly with European partners. The newly elected German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin intends to support the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.