Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-07-08-Speech-2-017"

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". Mr President, the petition that is dealt with by the report relates to the environment, but we have noticed in the discussions that have been going on that the gas pipeline project has dimensions that are not related to the environment. It is in keeping with the authority of Parliament that we stick to the facts in the resolutions. The fact is that the EU needs Russian gas and that Russia needs even more European customers. The second fact is that the project being negotiated now has been approved by the EU as part of the TEN programme. It is a large construction project, the implementation of which may have a harmful impact on the ecosystem of the Baltic. For this reason it is important to have impartial environmental reports produced, so that the risks may be established and weighed up against the benefits. There are no projects without risks. Our group’s proposed amendments to the report are based on the principle that no concessions be made on the environment, but that no artificial barriers be constructed either. It is also a fact that the greatest environmental problem facing the Baltic at the moment is agriculture in the surrounding countries, and the transportation of oil by ship, which is becoming more common, is a real risk. However, we do not discuss these problems in this report. It is also a fact that the negotiations on the pipeline have been politicised to such an extent that there is a danger of the matter itself remaining a side-issue. The observation of former President Putin that the Russian fleet also has to protect financial interests does not help to create a climate of confidence. The use of energy for political pressure is not a civilised way of holding international dialogue. Finland has experienced pressure from Russia in the form of duties on timber, but at least for the time being the Finnish government has not bound this matter up with the gas pipeline project. Russia has not ratified the Espoo Convention on the Baltic. Russia should be required to do this before construction of the pipeline can begin."@en1

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