All Swedish parliamentary parties oppose the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project, which must pass through the Baltic Sea, Sveriges Radio reports.

The publication cites the words of the authorized Moderate Coalition Party on the EU Affairs, Karin Enström, who called the project a "bad idea" in terms of energy and environmental policies, and also with regard to security. She promised that all available tools would be used to stop the project.

The Swedish parliamentarians give several reasons for the blocking of Nord Stream-2. First of all, the need to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy basket, rather than increase the dependence on gas. In addition, excessive Russian activity off the coast of Sweden is not welcome, as Russia is accused of not complying with the norms of international law, citing the situation in Georgia, the Ukraine and the Crimea as examples.

It's impossible to stop the project, when a part of the pipe has already been laid - therefore, the European Commission proposes to resolve the issue by changing the legislation related to the construction of gas pipelines. The issue will be resolved next Sunday, September 9 . On the same day parliamentary elections will be held in Sweden.

On the eve Gazprom has already begun to lay pipes in the territorial waters of Finland.

The Nord Stream-2 project involves the construction of two gas pipeline lines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The Energy Expertise Center has already reported that Sweden had become one of the countries that had granted permission to implement the project in their territorial waters. Permits were also issued by Russia, Germany and Finland. The Russian side waited unsuccessfully for more than a year to issue a permit from Denmark, but then it was decided to build a gas pipeline bypassing this country.

One of the main opponents of the "Nord Stream-2" is the United States, which is interested in moving its own liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. The US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stressed the willingness to compete with Russia for the European gas market. Also the Baltic States, Poland and the Ukraine are against the project - the latter fears for the loss of its status as a transit country.

The operator of the gas pipeline construction project is Nord Stream 2 AG, the only shareholder of which is Gazprom. Gazprom's partners - German Wintershall and Uniper, Austrian OMV, French Engie and Royal Dutch Shell (Great Britain and the Netherlands) - will finance 50% of the project. The cost of construction is estimated at 9.5 billion euros, the gas pipeline is expected to be launched before the end of 2019.

Source: Rusmininfo     l     KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Rusmininfo