The pipeline has received mixed responses from countries around the Baltic Sea. The Baltic countries and Poland oppose it, Danes want to forbid it in Danish waters and Sweden sees it as a security policy matter. Nord Stream 2 has applied for 2 permits with the Finnish government to lay out its twin 1,200 km international offshore natural gas pipelines through the Baltic Sea.
The 1,200 kilometre long underwater pipeline would run for nearly 400 kilometres in Finland’s economic zone, and would transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.
Nord Stream 2 has also filed a water permit which is mandatory for constructing and operating the pipeline in Finnish waters.
The permit can only be granted if the Finnish government gives it the green light.
Nord Stream 2 added that other permit procedures for its pipeline project are in progress in Russia, Sweden, Denmark and Germany in whose waters the pipelines will spread across.
The Baltic countries and Poland oppose the project, as they view it as being part of Russia’s geopolitics.
The Danish government is considering prohibiting the pipeline to be built in Danish waters, and Sweden sees it as a security policy matter.
Finland is worried about the pipeline's environmental impact.
Prime Minister Juha Sipilä stated in St.Petersburg on Friday, that Finland’s stance on the pipeline was neutral.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is due to be completed by the end of 2019.
Nord Stream 2 AG is registered in Switzerland, and is owned by Gazprom.
Western energy companies Engie, OMV, Shell, Uniper and Wintershall have also invested in it.
The offshore export gas pipeline is expected to make a significant contribution to energy security in the EU by transporting enough gas to meet the needs of 26 million households.
To read the article in Russian.
