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Erwin Sellering (SPD), former Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Photo: Jens Büttner/DPA
The climate foundation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which has come under criticism, is only a little over a year old.
Instead of climate protection goals, it is primarily intended to help the Russian state-owned company Gazprom to complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea.
Ever since the political entanglements in the foundation became known, critics have been calling for its dissolution – but according to former Prime Minister Erwin Sellering, this is not feasible for liability reasons.
In 2021, the foundation helped to complete the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline through covert business activities, which will not be put into operation due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to media reports, Nord Stream 2 AG, which is dominated by the Russian gas company Gazprom, had a strong influence on the state government when it was founded.
Questionable climate foundation
Top politicians from the Greens called for a systematic review of all contacts between the government in Schwerin and the Gazprom subsidiary.
Green politician Volker Beck recently filed a criminal complaint.
Against whom exactly, he left open.
However, he justified his complaint, among other things, with the suspicion that the activity in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania "was carried out for a foreign power against the state interest of the Federal Republic of Germany".
The CDU foreign expert Norbert Röttgen suggested that Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) resign if media reports about close ties with Nord Stream 2 were correct.
Schwesig himself had recently defended the Baltic Sea pipeline as one of the largest infrastructure projects in recent years - and accordingly the controversial foundation.
»It is absolutely clear that a state government and also the Prime Minister are holding talks with investors.
Always in the interest of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania," said the head of government in Schwerin.
It was about economic power, jobs in the country, the interests of the ports and the energy supply of the future.
Schwesig doesn't want to know anything about a resignation either.
»Six months ago there was a state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
And the citizens confirmed me in my office with a large majority, with a strong vote of the citizens," said the head of state recently.
ber/mrc/dpa