Polish President Andrzej Duda said that there was "no place" for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that is to transport Russian gas to Germany and saying it would disrupt "energy relations" in Europe while on a visit to Berlin on Tuesday.
Duda made the remarks at a joint news conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and added that he believed Nord Stream 2 would put Central European countries "into difficult situations" in terms of their energy security.
"With regards to our thoughts about the question of energy security, we decisively think that investments such as Nord Stream 2 do not have a place. We think that it disrupts energy relations or will disrupt future energy relations in Europe, as gas supplied to the European Union will be dominated by one provider," said the Polish president.
He added that "this, above all else, puts a few countries in Central Europe into difficult situations with regards to energy security. I have to say we will continue to maintain our negative thoughts towards this investment".
Steinmeier said Germany shared the European Union's position regarding Poland's judiciary reforms, which the bloc's executive European Commission says could threaten the independence of the Polish judiciary.
"There is more that binds than separates us. Although it is common knowledge, that we are of different mind in one issue, which concerns us and about which we have also talked this morning," said the President of Germany.
He underscored that "this is not only a German concern but we share the European concern regarding the judiciary reform. Only recently we have see the decision, an interim injunction by the ECJ. And we all hope that the Polish government will find a way to respect the European jurisdiction".
The European Court of Justice ruled on Friday that Poland must immediately suspend the application of a new law forcing some of Supreme Court judges into early retirement and reinstate those who have already left.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, Reuters