MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Stockholm is attempting to avoid paying huge fines for emissions in consequence of sabotage acts at Nord Stream pipelines, official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency made the decision earlier that Sweden is not obliged to include in its national quota 5.8 mln metric tons of harmful substances penetrating atmosphere as a result of sabotage at Nord Stream pipelines.

"This step evidences that Stockholm is attempting to avoid paying huge fines for being above relevant norms established within the EU framework. They attempt to give reason to their decision with the reference to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by inapplicability of kingdom’s jurisdiction in respect of foreign pipelines in the Swedish exclusive economic zone," Zakharova said. "It turns out in such case that Sweden should not be responsible for harmful environmental emissions in consequence of sabotage at pipelines between Russia and Germany," she noted.

"Furthermore, in the light of information released in Swedish mass media that the Belos rescue ship of the Swedish Navy with special equipment on board for underwater operations managed to promptly arrive at the sabotage site, survey it and receive certain ‘valuable incriminating evidence’ from the crime scene, including ‘remains of the explosive,’ more and more questions arise about the role of Stockholm in this unpleasant case," the Russian diplomat stressed.