“Nord Stream undermined EU unity”

“Their initial preparations for the project undermined EU unity and got the venture off on the wrong foot”, Foreign Minister Stubb told Finnish broadcaster YLE. He strongly criticizes Germany and Russia for their handling of the planned 1220 km long underwater Baltic gas pipeline. Stubb said Germany and Russia failed to consult with the EU when planning the pipeline, YLE reports. He believes that the project illustrates the major need for a united EU energy policy. –These kind of decisions should be made jointly, he underlined. The Finnish government is to decide in September or October whether to approve the Nord Stream pipe’s routing through Finnish territorial waters. Finnish environmental authorities will also decide separately on whether to grant construction permission, YLE writes.