Berlin/Schwerin (dpa/mv) – The two state chairmen of the left in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have distanced themselves from calls by their party’s energy expert, Klaus Ernst, for talks with Russia about secure gas supplies and the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. “Klaus Ernst does not speak for the left,” said Vanessa Müller and Peter Ritter on Wednesday.
At the most recent federal party conference in Erfurt, it was decided that the party wanted energy independence and therefore advocated the expansion of renewable energies. It is correct that Nord Stream 2 will not be put into operation in view of the Ukraine war. Müller and Ritter emphasized that this was a clear decision that Ernst should also respect.
Ernst had told the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday) that in view of the sharp rise in prices in Germany it was immoral to maintain the sanctions against Russia as usual. Klaus Ernst is Chairman of the Energy and Climate Committee of the Bundestag. Despite the war, which violates international law, one must talk to Russia about energy supplies, he demanded. “Possibly also about putting Nord Stream 2 into operation for a limited period of time if the gas supply cannot be guaranteed otherwise.”
Other left-wing politicians also contradicted Ernst, such as the faction leader in the Bundestag, Dietmar Bartsch.
The Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2 has been completed. However, Germany put the approval process on hold shortly before Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Gas supply via the parallel Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been throttled by Russia. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck fears that Russia will soon no longer be sending gas to Western Europe.
