German lawmaker calls for restart of Nord Stream pipeline

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German lawmaker calls for restart of Nord Stream pipeline

2025-01-05 11:56 Last Updated At：15:47

A German lawmaker has called for restart of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline, as the halt of gas transit caused soaring energy prices in the European Union (EU) states.

The halt in Russian gas transit through Ukraine has heightened fears over supply shortages and soaring energy costs in Europe.

Both Ukraine and Russia announced the stoppage of Russian gas supplies through Ukraine's territory to Europe on Wednesday, pushing some EU countries to resort to costlier energy alternatives.

Sevim Dagdelen, left-wing Member of German Bundestag, wrote on her social media platform on Thursday that the halt of the transit of Russian gas in Europe further drives the energy price up, complaining that "the German government and the EU are happily watching the destruction of European industry due to high energy prices."

Dagdelen proposed that Germany should take immediate action to repair and restart the Nord Stream pipeline to alleviate the problem of natural gas shortages.

Dagdelen is not the first German lawmaker to call for the restart of the Nord Stream pipeline. Last September, Tino Chrupalla, co-chairman of the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany, said that this submarine pipeline is the lifeline of German industry and that the Nord Stream pipeline must be repaired, restarted and protected.

On New Year's Day, European natural gas futures prices hit their highest level since October 2023 after Russia's natural gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine were stopped.

In addition, the supply cut has begun to affect many European countries, including Slovakia and its neighbor Poland.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday said that the halt will have "severe consequences for all of us in the European Union (EU), but will not harm Russia."

Fico said that Slovakia stands to lose hundreds of millions of euros in gas transit fees, while its citizens will face higher gas and electricity bills. He criticized major EU nations for prioritizing geopolitical goals at the expense of smaller countries' interests and needs.

On the same day, Slovakia's gas importer, SPP, announced that it has contingency plans in place to ensure gas supplies through alternative channels, such as utilizing pipelines from Germany and Hungary. However, this will incur additional transit fees.

At present, Slovakia is considering taking retaliatory measures against Ukraine. The ruling coalition in Slovakia has reached a preliminary agreement to stop the supply of electricity to Ukraine and significantly reduce support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia. The government is expected to announce the decision next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in Slovakia's neighbor Poland, some officials have proposed that if Slovakia cuts off the power supply to Ukraine, Poland is willing to transport electricity from its own power plants to help Ukraine through the difficulties.

In this regard, Lukasz Wojdyga, director of the Center for Strategic Studies of the Warsaw Enterprise Institute, pointed out that Poland's electricity production mainly relies on coal, and the additional emission costs it pays account for 60 percent of the energy price, making Poland one of the countries with the most expensive electricity prices in the European Union. If Poland is determined to help Ukraine fill the electricity gap, transmitting electricity to Ukraine will further increase costs, and ultimately the interests of its own consumers will be harmed, he noted.

International figures hail CPC for global governance lessons

As the Communist Party of China (CPC) marks its 105th anniversary, international figures said its record offers lessons for political parties and governance worldwide.

Foreign officials highlighted guiding principles behind the CPC’s success. Being rooted in the people, upholding sovereignty, maintaining a long‑term vision, and pursuing self‑renewal best capture the essence of its achievements, said Sergei Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus.

"The first word is 'people-oriented.' This term is chosen because the entire governing logic of the CPC is subordinated to its original mission of serving the people. The second word is 'sovereignty.' Sovereignty symbolizes the unique model of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC has forever broken the false stereotype that modernization can only be achieved by following the Western path, giving developing countries, including Belarus, the intellectual freedom and confidence to pursue their own paths based on their traditions and national interests," said Sergei Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of Belarus.

International experts noted that under the CPC's leadership, China has consistently acted as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order, injecting new energy into global prosperity and working with other nations to shape a brighter future for humanity.

Echoing this view, Emin Gasimov, director of the Azerbaijani Center for Study of Culture, Development, and Global Initiative, stressed the CPC’s global role.

"China's strength relies not only on its economy and technology, but also on the CPC's continual self-strengthening, which has made it a political force with strategic vision and a sense of historical responsibility, a choice rightly made by the Chinese people. Today, the role of the CPC can no longer be viewed solely within the framework of the nation. Its experience has become increasingly important to global discussions on development paths, equitable governance, and the future of human civilization. If we see the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping as the international extension of the Chinese modernization, it becomes clear that China not only seeks to share its domestic successes with the world, but also aims to present a broader vision for all humanity, a vision for a just, equal, and sustainable future," said Gasimov.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, addressed a gathering in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the anniversary, drawing praise from foreign officials. They said China's development philosophy and practices are shaping solutions for the world.

"We look to China to tap on their innovation - how they do it, what kind of models are they applying, what kind of evidence-base, because no development happens without research and evidence, because to innovate you have to consistently try and test models of innovation for it to be tried and said, 'this is a best practice model.' And it inspires us," said Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, deputy minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, South Africa.