Poland opposes EU financing for Northern gas pipeline

Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga voiced opposition to the possibility of "controversial" energy projects being financed from the EU budget, her spokesman told the Polish news agency PAP on Monday.

Fotyga made the remarks at a Monday meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
"Poland believes that if the EU decides to participate in the financing of projects aimed at diversification of energy supplies, it should not finance projects that raise controversy in some member countries," the spokesman cited her as saying.

One such project is the Rissian-German Northern Pipeline, criticized by Poland and the Baltic states.

Fotyga referred to a provision contained in the draft documents of an EU summit scheduled for June 15-16 in Brussels. The provision, proposed by Austria, states that "the EU will fully support" infrastructure projects opening up new possibilities of diversifying energy imports.

"Poland strongly supports diversification and the creation of a joint energy policy in the EU," the spokesman said. "It is Poland which started the energy debate ... But we want to preclude the possibility that controversial projects get EU funding."

Russia signed a deal with Germany last year to build a major gas pipeline to northern Europe on the Baltic seabed.

In April, Polish Defence Minister Radosław Sikorski criticized the project because it bypasses Poland, describing the move as being "disloyal toward other EU countries."

Source: Xinhua