Baltic three, Poland propose alternative pipeline route

Russia and Germany should opt for a land route running through all four states instead, the Lietuvos Rytas daily reported. The three Baltic states and Poland have petitioned the European Commission to support researching their proposal for a land-based as opposed to a sub-sea pipeline. “An analysis of such a possibility may show that this variant poses a lower environmental risk and is more cost-efficient,” Lithuanian Economy Minister Vytas Navickas told the newspaper. “Furthermore this kind of pipeline would guarantee natural gas supplies for our states.”

Poland and the three Baltic states raised a storm of opposition to the Russo-German plan to build a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea floor, bypassing all four countries. They believe the project poses a grave environmental hazard as well as a threat to their energy security and have criticized fellow EU member Germany for taking the decision without consultation with other EU members. (monstersandcritics.com)