Former Chancellor Scholz criticized Germany for not investing in gas terminals sooner

Berlin/Schwerin, 21 November (CTK) - Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz today criticized Germany for not investing much earlier in building gas terminals that could help in the event of pipeline supply disruptions. He made the remarks in testimony before an investigative committee of the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Its members are examining possible Russian influence on regional politicians who approved the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which connected Germany and Russia via the Baltic Sea.

Scholz, who has remained an ordinary Social Democratic Party (SPD) member of parliament since leaving office as chancellor in May this year, said he had called for Germany to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals along its coast for many years before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The aim was to make Germany more flexible and avoid dependence on gas supplies through pipelines from Russia. The former chancellor described energy dependence on Russia as a mistake.

Scholz took over as head of the German government only in December 2021, shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Before that, however, he had served as vice chancellor and finance minister in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government since 2018.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was completed in 2021, but no gas ever flowed through it. It was not put into commercial operation because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Along with the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which began operating in 2011, the Nord Stream 2 pipes were damaged in a series of explosions in September 2022. German investigators say a Ukrainian team blew them up. On Wednesday, an Italian court ruled that one of its members should be extradited to Germany.

Among those who have already testified before the investigative committee in the state parliament in Schwerin are former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and several ministers from the governments of former Chancellor Merkel. The former chancellor herself has not yet testified before the committee.