Grigory Pasko: Looking a gift horse in the mouth Nord Stream, Scandinavian Style – Part 2 Grigory Pasko, journalist Returning for a moment to my previous article about the view of the Nord Stream pipeline from the shores of Finland, I will point out several more circumstances. The Finnish environmental ministry based on the results of a preliminary review of the Environmental Impact Assessment report has recommended to the company Nord Stream that it examine alternative routings – moreover not only a land-based one, but an undersea one as well – to the south of the island of Hogland (Suursaari in Finnish, but known as Gogland in Russian ever since being taken over by the Soviets in the 1939-1940 Winter War). Nord Stream did not like this proposal for several reasons: south of Hogland is a nature preserve zone, the maritime traffic there is more intensive, and there are many sunken ships and underwater cables there as well. In corrected and supplemented form, Nord Stream has to present its report in Finland any day now. In May-June, discussions on this report will take place throughout the country: every inhabitant of the country will be able to express his or her attitude towards the project. The idea is that public opinion must be taken into consideration by the Finnish government in the issuance of the final decision with respect to the laying of the gas pipeline in the country’s waters.