Nord Stream will remain empty. Germany wants to block the attempts to launch the gas pipeline

The government in Berlin strives to stop all attempts at investors aimed at reactivating the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which Germany brought cheap gas from Russia – informed the British daily Financial Times, citing the German Ministry of Economy.

It is about tightening the regulations regarding investment control and all ownership changes that would be aimed at resuming the work of the gas pipeline.

As the daily noted, the government in Berlin has no control over the Nord Stream bus to prevent ownership changes in a company based in Switzerland. If the gas pipelines were to be reactivated, Berlin would only be responsible for granting a technical certificate – noted the British newspaper.

In March, “FT” reported that Matthias Warnig, a former officer of Stasi during the GDR and friend of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who until 2023 managed the Nord Stream 2 AG company, was the originator of work on the resumption of the gas pipeline. American investor Stephen Lynch also tried to convince Nord Stream 2 to buy Nord Stream 2.

As “FT” added on Friday, Lynch “believes that one day Europe will be ready to buy Russian gas again.”

The recently emerging plans to reactivate the Nord Stream gas pipeline caused a debate in Germany to alleviate high energy prices and help struggling with the difficulties of German industry – wrote “FT”.

Support for cheap Russian gas is expressed by, among others Extremely right -wing alternative for Germany (AFD) and some CDU and SPD politicians.

The German government, however, supports the gradual completion of energy imports from Russia to the EU, emphasizing the issues of energy independence and security. At the beginning of June, Chancellor Friedrich Merz assessed that the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was a mistake.

Russia pumped gas from Siberia to Germany and other European countries with Nord Stream gas pipeline until the supply was suspended. Nord Stream 2 was not launched due to a Russian attack on Ukraine. The pipes were damaged by explosions in September 2022. (PAP)

MRF/ MAL/