Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder believes that the previous German government's choice to import Russian gas was the right decision and he remains optimistic about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, Germany's Bild quoted Gerhard Schroeder's letter to the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament.
"I would like to start with my views on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. That is a positive viewpoint, unchanged. As Federal Chancellor, I always understood that Germany was a poor industrialized country with resources, and that the country's prosperity could only be maintained and developed if it maintained competitiveness in the global market. This requires a stable and low-cost electricity supply for the industry," Schroeder wrote.
In January this year, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is scheduled to hold a hearing before a parliamentary committee investigating the activities of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Climate and Environment Protection Fund. The fund was set up to protect the Nord Stream 2 project from US sanctions.
However, the former German Chancellor was absent from the hearing and was later reported to have been hospitalized.
When discussing the importance of gas supplies to Germany, Mr. Schroeder also emphasized that renewable energy is unreliable due to dependence on weather conditions. This forces Germany to import electricity from other countries, where electricity is produced from hydropower and nuclear power.
The former German chancellor said that the current economic downturn in Germany shows how serious the spike in electricity prices is.
"Therefore, now and in the past, I still believe that gas power generation is the best solution," he wrote, affirming that gas transportation via pipeline is more environmentally friendly than liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported by ship.
Mr. Schroeder also emphasized that using gas as a transitional energy source before switching to renewable energy was not his own idea. This strategy was also supported by his predecessor - Mr. Helmut Kohl. It has always been a reasonable and beneficial decision for Germany, Schroeder wrote.
Mr. Schroeder explained to lawmakers that the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nord Stream 2 AG is only a representative of the company, and he does not participate in operational activities.
He admitted that he did not fully understand the details of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, nor did it affect the government's licensing procedures.
"Maybe you also want to know if I will discuss this project with the Russian President. Of course. And I would like to repeat: I have always believed that Germany will need cheap gas as an energy source in the coming years to avoid further economic recession," Schroeder wrote.
