Polish PM says Warsaw concerned Nord Stream 2 will divide Europe
BERLIN, June 22 (Reuters) - Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Warsaw is concerned about plans by German power firms and Russian monopoly Gazprom to build another natural gas pipeline circumventing Poland, Szydlo said on Wednesday.
"We see it as an investment that will lead to a division of Europe," Szydlo said during a joint news conference with Merkel after talks in Berlin.
Merkel said she viewed the so-called Nord Stream 2 pipeline as an economic project, but its implementation had to be in line with European rules.
Gazprom has formed a consortium with E.ON , BASF/Wintershall, OMV (EUREX: 430021.EX - news) , ENGIE (Brussels: ENGI.BR - news) and Royal Dutch Shell (Xetra: A0ET6Q - news) for the new pipeline.
The project embodies the worst fears of Polish conservatives who see pacts between Poland's powerful neighbours, Germany and Russia, as an existential threat. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Paul Carrel; Editing by Caroline Copley)