Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-18-Speech-3-310"
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"en.20080618.25.3-310"2
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"Mr President, for some time now we have been aware of the Russian company Gazprom’s worrying penchant for collecting former leaders of European Union countries. The best example of this tendency is the case of Mr Schröder, the former German Chancellor. Mr Schröder first signed an agreement with Russia concerning construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, and then took a post on the company’s governing board. Similar goings-on are taking place in the south of Europe, in connection with Gazprom’s next venture, namely the South Stream gas pipeline. I should like to emphasise that no Western energy company has as close links with its home state as Gazprom has with the Kremlin. In the case of Gazprom’s plans, we are confronted with cold political calculation. Normal market principles simply do not apply.
It is high time for the Union to realise this and act to prevent a situation in which a State-sponsored company can use gas pipelines to exert political pressure. Russia’s control of energy will inevitably lead to a further increase in the cost of energy in Europe. Russia will also be able to extract even greater political concessions in exchange for supplying gas and oil.
It is quite clear that the European Union has to build good relations with Russia. To do so effectively, however, it must demonstrate unity, a unity we currently lack. I earnestly hope that the forthcoming EU-Russia summit will be an opportunity to demonstrate the European Union’s solidarity in the face of Russia’s hegemony in the energy sector."@en1
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