BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2021) The German government has not changed its opinion of the planned Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 and considers it an economic project, the cabinet spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday, amid calls to scrap the pipeline.
The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution, which urged the bloc to stop the pipeline construction. A number of politicians in Europe have voiced a similar position. The United States has been strongly opposed to the project. Russia has urged to keep Nord Stream separate from political discussions, as a business venture.
"We have taken note of the European Parliament's suggestion. EU foreign ministers are currently in talks in Brussels about what to do with what happened in Russia over the weekend," the spokesman said, referring to the unauthorized rallies.
Seibert said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had spoken about Nord Stream 2 as recently as last week.
"She said that her position, and the position of the Federal government, in principle, has not changed. And this is still the case," Seibert said.
A representative of the German Foreign Ministry was asked if they saw a link between the project and the incident with Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny and replied that the ministry had not changed its opinion of Nord Stream 2 either.
Back in the fall of 2020, shortly after Navalny fell ill, Merkel said that his situation and that of the Nord Stream 2 were to be considered separately.
