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Preparation before lowering the Baltic Sea pipeline (archive picture): The laying of Nord Stream 2 has started
Photo: STINE JACOBSEN / REUTERS
The Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline has been causing discussions for months - and has brought criticism to the federal government not only from the opposition, but also from abroad.
Construction work to complete the German-Russian project has now been resumed.
"The pipeline-laying vessel" Fortuna ", which started work in the laying corridor in the Danish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on January 24th, began laying it today after successful laying tests," announced the project company.
Opponents of the construction project, including numerous Eastern European countries but also France, fear that Nord Stream 2 could make Europe too dependent on Russian energy supplies.
On the last day in office of President Donald Trump, the USA had tightened existing measures against companies involved in the project.
The "Fortuna" was declared "blocked property".
However, there were initially no consequences for the ship.
Almost 94 percent of the pipeline is already finished
»All work is carried out in accordance with the existing permits.
We will inform you accordingly about the construction process and further planning, «it said.
The Russian "Fortuna" had started work on the further laying of the pipes almost two weeks ago near the Danish island of Bornholm.
According to Nord Stream 2 AG, 94 percent of the approximately 1230-kilometer double line has already been completed.
According to this, about 120 kilometers are still missing in Danish and 30 kilometers in German waters.
Even after Nawalny's arrest, Germany is sticking to the construction site
With the repression against the Russian oppositionist Alexej Navalny, the pressure on the project had increased again - as a reaction, construction was again called for.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier recently continued to defend the project.
"After the lasting deterioration in relations in recent years, energy relations are almost the last bridge between Russia and Europe."
Chancellor Angela Merkel had recently demonstrated behind the project.
She is hoping for a solution to the conflict over the pipeline with the new US President Joe Biden.
However, a few days after his inauguration, he let the gas pipeline announce that Nord Stream 2 was "a bad deal for Europe".
Icon: The mirror
fek / dpa / AFP