the CEO of the Austrian energy group OMV Rainer Seele called on European countries to give a “political answer” to the threats of Washington to impose sanctions against companies involved in the construction of the pipeline “Nord stream-2”.
This opinion was voiced at a business conference in Vienna, reports the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. According to Zele, ultimately, the dispute concerns the extent to which Europe will defend its sovereignty and independence, especially in the energy supply of the Old world. “As a European company, we anticipate that the policy will ensure that Europe, as a place for investment, will not lose its attractiveness,” – said the businessman in his statement.
OMV jointly with Wintershall Dea, Uniper, Shell and Engie are involved in financing the construction and operation organized by the Russian state company “Gazprom”. They account for about half of the investment in the project worth nearly 10 billion euros. These and other European companies are currently under the threat of sanctions from the United States who reject the construction of the pipeline and the consequent strengthening of the Russian economy, experts say.
last week Secretary of state United States of America Mike Pompeo said that the pipeline running under the Baltic sea to transport gas from Russia to Germany “is now subject to the law, which will apply the sanctions measures,” including companies that do business with Russia or such countries as Iran and North Korea.
Earlier in July, the lower house of Congress voted for the amendment, which will allow to extend the restrictive measures against the “Nord stream-2”. In Germany called the restriction, “contrary to international law”. The German business representatives described the threat to Washington as “incredibly low point in transatlantic relations”. The European business has argued that the thesis of the alleged dependence of Europe from Russian gas “is unfounded.”
