Germany has exerted pressure on Moscow saying that Russia’s failure to provide the needed support in the investigation into Russian’s fiercest critic and corruption investigator , Alexei Navalny’s poisoning, could seriously impact the German-Russian gas pipeline project.
The requests came amidst mounting pressure on Germany to use the joint German-Russian pipeline project to get Russia break its silence over Navalny’s poisoning that happened last month August.
Navalny is in a state of induced coma at Berlin’s Charite hospital in Germany after being poisoned on a flight to Moscow. He was flown to Germany on August 22 for treatment.
Heiko Maas, addressing Bild am Sonntag, a German national weekly newspaper, on Sunday September 6, 2020, said, “I hope the Russians won’t force us to change our position regarding the Nord Stream 2.”
“If there won’t be any contributions from the Russian side regarding the investigation in the coming days, we will have to consult with our partners,” he added.
However, Maas stated that as much as it is considered the right course of action to take, suspending the project which is near completion would heavily impact Germany and European nations.
“More than 100 companies from 12 European countries are involved (in the construction), about half of them from Germany,” Maas said emphasizing how great the impact would on all sides involved.
Maas further urged Russia to come out clean and proves its innocence in the poison attack on Navalny.
“We have high expectations from the Russians to bring light into this severe crime. If they have nothing to do with this attack then it’s in their own interest to put the facts on the table.”
Similarly, Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Foreign Minister, while speaking on France Inter radio, on Sunday, made his country’s stand known on the case. France demanded Russia’s swift response to European demands concerning Navalny’s poisoning.
Jean-Yves emphasized that Moscow has to respond immediately because the case involves an opposition figure and that Novichok, the substance with which Navalny was poisoned is banned.
He therefore added that Moscow faces severe sanctions if it failed to do so.
“The Russians must now tell us the truth so that we can act accordingly. When we say quickly, it’s quickly, that’s to say a week, now. It’s a traumatizing event for everyone, it’s astonishing for everyone. So the Russians must take the necessary action and I hope they will,” he said.
Also, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, has called for a thorough investigation into Navalny’s poisoning which she said was an attempt to get rid of a Russia’s formidable critic.
Responding to Germany’s claim on Sunday, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Russia has as recent as late August requested evidence linking Moscow to the act.
He further said that Germany is thus reminded to give response to the request of Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia, if it is really interested in the case.
While stating this, Zakharova, in a Facebook post said, “Dear Mr. Maas, if the government of the Federal Republic of Germany is sincere in its statements, then it should itself be interested in preparing a response to the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia as soon as possible.”
