German citizens support Nord Stream 2

BERLIN, July 23. /TASS/. The majority of German citizens support further realization of the Nord Stream 2 project, a poll published by the Forsa Institute for Social Research and Statistical Analysis informs. The poll was ordered by German TV channels N-tv and RTL.

According to the survey, 66% of pollsters support further construction of the pipeline, as, in their opinion, "this way, the supply of Germany with natural gas will be more stable." Only 23% objected to the project, stating that the dependency on Russia’s supply will grow.

About 1,000 people participated in the survey.

The Nord Stream 2 project is set to expand the operation of the main gas pipeline - Nord Stream - which connects Russia and Germany bypassing transit countries, like Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other Eastern European and Baltic states, stretched out along the Baltic Sea bed. The gas pipeline mirrors the Nord Stream route going through exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five countries - Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. The pipeline’s throughput capacity is 27.5 bln cubic meters a year. The commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is scheduled for the end of 2019.

Denmark gives Nord Stream 2 nod to restart pipeline work

COPENHAGEN, July 6 (Reuters) - Denmark on Monday gave Nord Stream 2 permission to use pipe-laying vessels with anchors to complete the final stretch of the gas pipeline in Danish waters, removing a key obstacle for the much-delayed project designed to bring more Russian natural gas to Europe.

Nord Stream 2 has faced political opposition from Washington, as well as from Ukraine and Poland - so-called transit countries for the pipeline on its route to consumers in western Europe.

The Trump administration opposes the project on the grounds it would strengthen Russia’s economic grip over Europe.

Construction of the 1,230-kilometer pipeline is nearly finished but it needs to complete a final stretch of roughly 120-kilometres in Danish waters.

Germany warned Washington to mind its own business after US lawmakers gave initial approval to a bill that would sanction contractors working on a Russian pipeline to Germany. The EU also opposed sanctions against ‘companies doing legitimate business’.

The €9.5 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline will run under the Baltic Sea and is set to double shipments of Russian natural gas to Germany.

The German-Russian Chamber of Commerce (AHK) said the pipeline was important for the energy security of Europe as a whole and called for retaliatory sanctions against the United States if the bill passes.

Europe should respond to sanctions that damage Europe with counter-sanctions,” said AHK chief Matthias Schepp.

Supporters of the 1,230-kilometre pipeline say it will be a reliable source of cheap energy but critics warn it could end up vastly increasing Russia’s political influence in Europe.

EU opposes sanctions

The EU joined in criticising proposed US action.

EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said Brussels “opposes the imposition of sanctions against any EU companies conducting legitimate business”.

“The (European) Commission objective has always been to ensure that Nord Stream operates in a very transparent and in a non-discriminatory way with the appropriate degree of oversight,” he said.

Germany’s Schepp said the sanctions would end up affecting European companies more than Russia.

Half of the project is financed by Russian gas giant Gazprom, with the rest covered by its European partners: Germany’s Wintershall and Uniper, Anglo-Dutch Shell, France’s Engie and Austria’s OMV.

Despite its own diplomatic tensions with Russia, including over the murder of a former Chechen rebel in Berlin earlier this year, Germany has repeatedly defended the long-running project.

The German economy ministry said it was awaiting the result of a US Senate vote expected next week on the bill — part of much wider US defence legislation.

US approves sanctions against Nord Stream 2

The US House and Senate agreed on a defence bill that would force Donald Trump’s administration to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Russian-sponsored gas pipelines Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream.