ANKARA, April 3. /TASS/. Russia expects that the EU authorities will make decisions on the laying route of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in the interests of European consumers, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.

"We expect that decisions will be aimed at satisfying the interests of Europeans and European companies in gas supplies. So far this process is not over, the work is in progress," he said, responding to a question about the position of Denmark and other countries on the gas pipeline’s laying route.

In November 2017, the Danish Parliament approved a bill giving the authorities an opportunity to prohibit the construction of Nord Stream-2 in the territorial waters of the country. Meanwhile, the project participants stated that Nord Stream 2 has alternative route options.

Last week, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany had issued a permit for the construction and operation of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline in the exclusive economic zone of Germany in the Baltic Sea. The agency noted that in the light of the positive decision on the construction of Nord Stream-2, previously adopted by the Stralsund Mining Office, all the permits that had to be obtained in Germany for the implementation of the project were obtained.

Earlier, the Stralsund Mining Office approved the construction and operation of the 55 km section of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in the territorial waters of Germany, as well as construction work on a part of the continental shelf that belongs to Germany. The Office is responsible for the compliance of various projects with the legislation of Germany in the field of geology and ecology.

Receiving permits of the national regulators of four other countries - Russia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark - progress.

The Nord Stream-2 project involves construction of two gas pipeline lines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters of gas a year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The total cost of the project is estimated at 9.5 bln euro. The only shareholder of Nord Stream-2 AG is Gazprom. Gazprom's European partners in the project inlcude German Uniper and Wintershall, Austrian OMV, French Engie and Anglo-Dutch Shell.