German Lawmaker Urges Croatia to Extradite Nord Stream Sabotage Suspect

BERLIN, August 30. /TASS/. Croatia must extradite to Germany a Ukrainian man who is alleged to have participated in the sabotage of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, especially since Kiev’s attempts to block the extradition will prove the Ukrainian state’s guilt, Steffen Kotre, a lawmaker from the Alternative for Germany faction and the party's energy policy expert, told TASS.

"Croatia is obligated to extradite the suspect, and Germany must see the investigation of this case through to the end, regardless of Kiev’s position," he noted. According to Kotre, the Ukrainian military "does not have carte blanche to sabotage German or European energy infrastructure." "Anyone who invokes ‘functional immunity’ when attacking civilian infrastructure makes the situation even more politically explosive: after all, this essentially asserts that the crime was committed on the orders of the state. If Kiev attempts to prevent extradition or influence the course of the proceedings, this will not only be yet another serious blow to German-Ukrainian relations but also yet another clear indication of a Ukrainian connection and state involvement," the lawmaker stated.

However, he noted that the German government is likely worried about "the moment when it finally becomes clear to the German public that the state Germany has supported with billions of euros for many years is responsible for destroying a key component of Germany’s energy infrastructure in collaboration with the US." "The federal government would once again have to explain why Germany is acquiescing to an alleged attack on its own critical infrastructure while billions continue to flow to Kiev, all the while avoiding any confrontation with Washington," the lawmaker emphasized.

According to Kotre, the German government prioritizes a lenient approach toward Kiev and Washington over Germany’s interests. "This is a foreign policy capitulation to the detriment of Germany’s authority, sovereignty, and fundamental interests," the lawmaker concluded.