Russia-Germany pipeline likely to get EU funds

The European Commission published a list of priority EU energy-related investments, which includes the northern gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany. According to Polish authorities, the investment is a threat to Polish interests. In June, Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz announced a success when a common EU declaration was adopted which envisaged EU support only for investments which are in the interest of all member states. Marcinkiewicz claimed that this document would prevent the financing of the northern gas pipeline from EU funds. However, it seems that this was only his interpretation of the document. According to an experienced EU diplomat quoted by Rzeczpospolita: "The declaration talks about the interest of member states in general. It does not mean that it is necessary to obtain Poland's approval for each energy-related project supported by the EU". (Rzeczpospolita, pp.A1, B2) E.B.