Russia counts on certification of Nord Stream 2 once regulator's work completed — Kremlin
Dmitry Peskov recalled that the certification process for Nord Stream 2 is now being carried out in Berlin, which looks on this project as a purely commercial one
MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Russia hopes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project will be certified immediately after the completion of the procedure by the German regulator, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Wednesday.
"Hopefully, as soon as the regulators finish their work, the project will be certified. We are counting on it," he said.
Peskov recalled that the certification process for Nord Stream 2 is now being carried out in Berlin, which looks on this project as a purely commercial one.
"You need not politicize it in any way, there is no need to see any tricks here. You need to be patient. The company is ready to comply with all the requirements of the regulator," the press secretary of the Russian president stressed.
To start pumping gas, the Nord Stream 2 operator needs to get approval from the German regulator, which is checking the project for compliance with the EU Gas Directive.
The final decision of the regulator is preceded by the approval of the European Commission and the receipt of a conclusion from the relevant agency in Germany that there are no threats to the security of gas supplies to Germany and Europe if the operator is certified.
On October 26, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action announced that it had sent its opinion on the certification of Nord Stream 2 to the regulator. The ministry said it believes that the certification of the pipeline will not pose a threat to gas supplies to Europe.
The certification has now been halted, as the operator Nord Stream 2 AG, headquartered in Switzerland, needs to register a subsidiary in Germany. Once the subsidiary is registered the certification procedure will continue. Last Friday, the ministry said that the operation of Nord Stream 2 is possible only after certification is completed and it is unlikely that it will be completed in January.
Russia repeatedly stressed that Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project and is being implemented jointly with European partners.