More than 20 years after leaving office (term 1998-2005), former Chancellor Gerhard Schroder is still a figure that attracts attention in Germany.
On October 17, former Prime Minister Gerhard Schroder's testimony as a witness before the parliament's investigation committee in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, along the Baltic Sea, attracted much attention. This is the end point of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, which transport Russian gas to Germany.
At the age of 81, Mr. Schroder was questioned as a former Prime Minister, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nord Stream 2 and a corridor organizer for many Russian energy corporations.
He had previously avoided the committee's summons many times due to health reasons. On October 17, Mr. Schroder also did not appear in person but witnessed remotely, from his private office in Hanover.
Speaking to lawyers for 2 and a half hours, Mr. Schroder defended the construction of the two gas pipelines as well as the urgent need to switch to Russian gas in the context of Germany's economy dependent on industry and preparing to abandon nuclear energy. This argument is being taken more seriously in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"The Nord Stream pipeline dates back to Prime Minister Helmut Kohl and was put into operation under Chancellor Angela Merkel. Also during her term, planning for Nord Stream 2 has begun," Schroder argued in a letter to the committee this spring.
He said that the decision to build Nord Stream 2 is "always reasonable and beneficial for Germany" as well as not being affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
He added that Poland's warnings about the pipeline construction give him no reason to doubt, as the project is being implemented "because we do not want intervention from other countries" which are looking to "sell their own gas at higher prices".
The hearing also aims to assess the role of Mr. Schroder and the regional government in establishing a fund fund fund funded partly in Russian money to facilitate the completion of the pipeline in the context of US sanctions.
This fund is a tool to prevent US interference in our energy policy, Schroder said frankly, asserting that the 2021 fund is an extremely reasonable decision.
European media reported that during the hearing, Mr. Schroder replied more than 20 times: "I don't know", almost not hiding his discomfort from too specific questions or publicly criticizing the question-and-answer. "Mr. President, can you stop this unreasonable thing?" - Mr. Schroder harshly towards the committee chairman when being pressured by a Green Party member.
At the end of November, former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (term 2021-2025) is scheduled to hold a committee hearing, along with several members of Angela Merkel's close group.
However, Merkel, who ruled from 2005 to 2021, was not called up to testify in the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 hearings. The chairman of the hearing committee himself admitted that "no one asked" to summon Ms. Merkel.
