The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy declined on Friday to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion that the transit of Russian gas to Europe would speed up fast if the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is certified
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2021) The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy declined on Friday to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin's suggestion that the transit of Russian gas to Europe would speed up fast if the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is certified.
Putin made the comment in an address to the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday.
"As a general principle, I do not comment on the statements of the Russian president. Deliveries are carried out on the market, and there are various routes of deliveries to Germany through Yamal and Ukraine. Volumes on these routes are available on the market. As regards Nord Stream 2, the certification process continues, and it is a necessary legal basis for deliveries to begin," ministry spokeswoman Beate Baron told a briefing.
Asked about the capacity of pipelines supplying gas to Germany, she said the data at her disposal suggest the pipes are "fully loaded," but advised seeking more detailed information from market players.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline stretches from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany, and consists of two strings with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year. Its construction was completed on September 10. The process of certification of Nord Stream 2 AG as an independent operator of the gas pipeline is currently underway to ensure that the project complies with the conditions of the February 12 EU Gas Directive.
Certification will take place in two stages. First, the German regulator, which has received a full package of documents necessary for certification in September, will develop a draft decision, and then the European Commission will give its assessment.
