Former German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is set to testify at an inquiry into the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline beneath the Baltic Sea on Friday.
The controversial pipeline was designed to transport Russian gas to Germany but never entered operation following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As chancellor, Scholz withheld the operational licence for the pipeline’s construction in February 2022 as Russia prepared to launch its invasion.
Having served as finance minister and vice chancellor under former chancellor Angela Merkel from 2018, Scholz became chancellor in December 2021.
Nord Stream 2 was built during his time in office despite opposition from Ukraine, Poland, the United States and others.
Both Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1, a separate pipeline constructed a decade earlier, are currently out of operation after explosions severely damaged them in September 2022.
Gerhard Schröder, Merkel’s predecessor as chancellor, described the pipelines in his testimony as essential for providing Germany with cheap Russian gas.
Sigmar Gabriel, who served as minister for energy and the economy between 2013 and early 2017 and later as foreign minister until 2018, acknowledged mistakes in dealing with Russia.
Gabriel described failing to understand the intentions of Russian President Vladimir Putin as “one of the biggest mistakes in German foreign policy that I was involved in.”
The inquiry is being carried out by the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in its capital, Schwerin.
It aims to complete its work ahead of state elections next year.
NAN