Denmark to oppose NordStream II gas pipeline?

Danish newspaper Mondag Morgen informed on Tuesday that the government of Denmark is calling for a debate on the geopolitical consequences of the Nordstream II gas pipeline that is to link Russia and Germany. Energy Minister, Lars Christian Lilleholt said that although Denmark agreed to the construction of the first NordStream pipeline in 2009, this time, geopolitical consequences must be taken into consideration. "The matter needs to be addressed by the EU." The Danish newspaper said that the approval for the gas pipeline would mean that  "German Chancellor Angela Merkel is paradoxically strengthening the position of Vladimir Putin in Europe," and the Danish dependency on Russian gas will increase. In November last year, a group of CEE countries wrote a letter to the deputy head of the European Commission signed by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, which read that the NordStream II pipeline should come under the closest regulatory scrutiny and called for "an inclusive debate" at next month's EU summit. The letter warned about the negative effects of NordStream II on Europe's energy security and political situation. The signatories highlighted that the pipeline is a risk to the stability of gas deliveries through Jamal and Brotherhood pipelines to the CEE region.