Baltic States – CIS, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Legislation

Photo: seimas.lt

"Although formally Nord Stream 2 is presented as a commercial project, it in fact is an instrument of Russia's state policy. Nord Stream 2 is not about diversification of gas supply sources, but rather about deepening of energy dependence of the EU, and especially of Central and Eastern European countries, on Russia and, consequently, maintaining their vulnerability," reads a letter to heads of European parliaments signed by the parliamentary speakers of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia, Viktoras Pranckietis, Marek Kuchinski and Inara Mursniece, in Vilnius on Sunday.

Eiki Nestor, the speaker of the Estonian parliament decided not to sign the letter yet, saying he needed more time to study its content.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Supreme Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy has expressed support to the document, pledging to put his signature under it.

Kuchcinski, the Polish Sejm speaker currently on a visit in Vilnius for Lithuania's independence festivities, said that the voices of the three parliaments would be heard better than individual voices. In his words, by expressing fears about the project development that is about to start, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland take care of the safety of their region and the rest of the European Union.

According to the letter, energy security is a key component for a united and prosperous Europe, where competition and free market principles create a basis for success. Therefore, there is a need to invest in energy infrastructure, especially gas interconnectors and additional gas pipelines, which would allow fostering the diversification of natural gas supply.

"Nord Stream 2 should be viewed in a wider context of today's Russian information and cyber hostilities and military aggression," reads the document.

Developers of Nord Stream 2 want the gas pipeline to go on the bottom of the Baltic Sea and cross Denmark's territorial waters before reaching Germany.