April 29, 2008 By Grigory Pasko

Grigory Pasko: Finland’s Perspective on Nord Stream

Nord Stream – from a Finnish perspective: interviews with Heidi Hautala and Erkki Hollo By Grigory Pasko, journalist In one of the magazine articles, the author, clearly sympathetic towards «Gazprom» and its latest spawn – Nord Stream – wrote: “No, no, no!!! – the editorial in the newspaper Svenska Dagbladed exclaimed hysterically with respect to the gas pipeline project, frightening readers with a drawing of a Russian octopus”. “Hysterically” – this is in the sick imagination of the author of the article. In actuality, I would say that the Scandinavian press (like, by the way, the Russian as well) is devoting remarkably little attention to coverage of the details of the advancement of the project. And as is known, the devil is in the details. Perhaps this is precisely the reason why so little is known about the actual details of the project? It is known that Finland in the year 2004 began construction of a new reactor for a nuclear power station. In such a manner, dependence on Russian gas, the proportion of which in Finland’s energy supply comprises 11%, will be reduced. That is, Finland has no reasons to be declaring anything at all about Nord Stream “hysterically”, to use the words of the previously mentioned journalist.