Environmentalists calculate the risks of the project "Northern stream".

SyuzhetyStroitelstvo North European gazoprovoda07.01.2009Shreder Nord Stream has promised to start by October 2011 godaKompaniya Nord Stream AG, which is the operator of a gas pipeline Nord Stream ( "Nord Stream"), referred to the environmental Office of Russia, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, a full environmental report on the project. Now Sweden will not be able to because of formal reasons for the decision to delay approval of Nord Stream, writes the newspaper Kommersant.
Report Nord Stream AG, in particular, that impact on the environment is a "moderate", and "the likelihood of exposure to chemical weapons is small" (Nord Stream route passes close to two munitions dumping areas of the island Bornholm and Gotland). Total Nord Stream AG has spent over 100 million euros for environmental research in preparing this report.
In the company Nord Stream AG was told that after three months, who have withdrawn for consultations, all five countries, the economic zone which will be the pipeline Nord Stream, will express its opinion on the environmental risks of the project. A report on the project Nord Stream AG was planning to hand over a year ago, but at the request of Finland, Denmark and Sweden had changed the route the pipeline, which resulted in adjustments to the project.
The newspaper notes that the issuance of the report coincided with the beginning of the visit to Sweden, First Vice-Premier of Russia Viktor Zubkov, who is also chairman of the board of directors of Gazprom. It was in Sweden recently raised objections to the Nord Stream. For example, in February, the Swedish press reported early prosecutorial investigations into allegations of bribery in the framework of the project Nord Stream. In the company Nord Stream AG said that the authorities had not received formal notification of Sweden to initiate an investigation.
Sweden and other European countries to decide on the Nord Stream to the end of the year. Otherwise, the construction of the pipeline may be delayed.
In January 2009, chairman of the committee of shareholders the project's operator Nord Stream AG, the ex-German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that the first thread Nord Stream gas pipeline will come into operation in October 2011. The second stage of the project will be operational in 2012.
Gas pipeline Nord Stream started designed back in 2002. The project involved Gazprom with 51 percent of the shares, as well as German companies Wintershall and E. ON Ruhrgas (20 per cent stake) and the Dutch Gasunie (9 per cent stake). The cost of construction of the pipeline is estimated at 7.4 billion euros.
This project will allow Russia to supply gas to Europe, bypassing intermediaries - in particular, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic countries. In parallel with the Nord Stream ( "Nord Stream"), Gazprom is planning to build another gas pipeline - South Stream ( "South Stream"), which runs under the Black Sea. In the case of projects, Gazprom will be able to directly export gas to Europe and the EU will get the fuel at lower prices.