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Miller also confirmed that a gas plant named Baltic LNG will be built in the Ust-Luga region, with a yearly capacity of 10 million tonnes. British-Dutch Shell is to engage in this project. It might be a rescue vest in case the new gas pipe lines fails, as it can be used for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export not only to Asia, but also to Western Europe.The Russians have high hopes of cooperating with Shell in the LNG sector.
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An EIA must be issued before issuing a construction permit. Under the Espoo Convention, the abovementioned countries whose economic zones are crossed by Nord Stream 1 are the project’s host parties, and the parties affected by it are Poland and the Baltic States. Only this convention may refuse to issue the construction permit. However, each of the countries affected may prolong the discussion and demand additional analyses of alternative routes, which according to Espoo would have to be included in the EIA; so such an assessment cannot be prepared without them.
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Poland probably still hasthe support of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which oppose Nord Stream 2 as well. The countries not located on the Baltic Sea also against this project include Slovakia, Romania and Hungary, which signed the ministers’ letter mentioned before.
Russia probably already has the support of Finland and Germany, whose representatives they have met recently; this does not seem to be a coincidence. Whether it will get Denmark’s approval is not known yet. The project was supported by France and the Netherlands, and other Western European countries do not oppose it.
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The described corruption mechanism should be discussed by the European Council. It shows clearly that Nord Stream 2 is a political issue. Russia, nevertheless, is attempting to present it as a pure business project, which is an insult to the analysts’ intelligence. They try to strengthen the interpretation that is favourable to them. Moreover, they try to isolate Poland and other opponents of the project and do not refrain from using unmeasurable arguments saying that Poles are prejudiced against Russians.
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Time is on the side of Nord Stream 2’s opponents. It may strike a blow at the keystone member of the group supporting the project – Germany. Support or lack of opposition against the gas pipeline is giving rise to increasingly stronger criticism against Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany before the 2017 elections. Obviously, she would not like the election campaign to be dominated by disputes over the Russian gas pipeline with EU allies, who are vital for finding a solution to the migration crisis and wars in Ukraine and Syria.