Overview
- Manuela Schwesig told the committee the state acted within German foreign and economic policy and did not pursue a special path.
- She said her government backed Nord Stream 2 out of conviction for secure and affordable energy and affirmed she stands by her decisions.
- Schwesig noted the project had broad backing in Germany, citing support under Chancellor Angela Merkel, talks with President Joe Biden in 2021, and steps by Economy Minister Peter Altmaier.
- Lawmakers examined the Klimaschutzstiftung MV, founded in early 2021 as U.S. sanctions loomed, under whose umbrella the pipeline was finished by the end of that year.
- The pipeline never entered service after Russia’s 2022 invasion, with the federal government denying an operating permit, and the inquiry will now compile its final report after hearing about 90 witnesses.