Should Poland made an energy bridge deal with Russia?

being a bridge is a great position to be in actually!

It isn't bad if the bridge is between two civilized worlds. Otherwise, it will be used by marching soldiers and blown up during retreats.

I think I can safely say there is no fear of a new military clash of Germans and Russians (in Poland nor elsewhere).

What scenario exactly do you have in mind Nathan?

Following several cuts to supplies to Ukraine, and further on to Europe on 1 January 2006 and 1 January 2009, as well as foreign policy towards Eastern Europe, it has been noted that the distribution of gas can be used as a political tool from the Russian state through Gazprom, which it owns.

Some transit countries are concerned that a long-term plan of the Kremlin is to attempt to exert political influence on them by threatening their gas supply without affecting supplies to Western Europe

In the report published by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Bendik Solum Whist notes that Nord Stream AG was incorporated in Switzerland, "whose strict banking secrecy laws makes the project less transparent than it would have been if based within the EU

Strangely enough, it bypasses Poland even though some claim there is a blooming friendship between neighbors.

Political commentator Yelena Shesternina writes:

"Polish voters probably did not mind Kaczynski's consistent criticism of Moscow. It is certainly true that few Poles are ardent admirers of Russia. But even so, the former prime minister clearly overdid it. Suffice to mention the closure of the Russian display at the Auschwitz memorial, or the censure of Aleksander Kwasniewski for his decision to visit Moscow for the 60th Anniversary of Victory over the Nazis, or the demand that the Russian government repent its errors beginning with the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 18th century to the Soviet invasion.

Kaczynski did more than seek his own interpretation of "historic justice." He consistently torpedoed Russia-EU negotiations. Offended by Russia's ban on its meat imports, Poland alone voted against a strategic partnership between the EU and Russia. It also rejected any compromise on hosting the U.S. missile-defense system. A few days before the elections, Jaroslaw Kaczynski said quite openly that the U.S. 'missile shield' was designed to shoot down Russian missiles, not Iranian ones, thus indicating which nation Warsaw saw as its number one foe.

Still, Kaczynski's anti-Russian rhetoric was not his greatest fault. He was wrong, as he was trying to build what he referred to as "a fourth republic," to list the whole of Europe as Poland's enemies. His favorite policy was to threaten the European Union with blocking major agreements. It is a miracle Angela Merkel did not have a nervous breakdown during the German presidency of the EU after overnight talks in which 26 member states tried to convince one (Poland) to sign a fundamental agreement - in fact a European constitution. Last week, participants in a EU summit in Lisbon avoided a similar scandal by an inch, as Poland again refused to sign an important document unless it was granted certain privileges.

Kaczynski was no friend of the OSCE either. Warsaw did not even invite that organization's observers to monitor elections under the pretext that Switzerland was voting on the same day. He must have thought that Swiss democracy was in greater need of protection than the Polish model."

When there is necessity to bring some changes to the EU constitution, Germany seems to be disrespectful and threatful to the will of the countries who are equal partners in EU (at least I thought so).

Strangely enough, it bypasses Poland even though some claim there is a blooming friendship between neighbors. When time is right a gas tool will be used against Poland by Germany.

The EU is Germany....for decades Germany build and paid the EU....call it war guilt or whatever but without the cheques from Germany there wouldn't be no EU. Germany (West Germany that is) put for decades the wishes and the well being of the EU before herself, again...billions of german tax payers money got distributes around Europe for 50 years.

It is not only Germany which gets another secure means for energy but other european countries as well and even Poland will be provided with Gas through the german parts of the pipeline.
It's just that any future Polish-Russian conflicts don't leave Germany starved of energy.

Well...that and Germany never had to worry about paying for strategic defense. That might have saved a bit of cash....

Exactly. But what about political conflict between Poland and Germany?

"no longer sell at 1/3 of market price",

sue us!

The EU is Germany....for decades Germany build and paid the EU....call it war guilt

[quote]What does the expansion offer Germans?
In the first place, it's a peace project. It creates peace, stability, and safety in the region of Europe that immediately borders Germany. People there have known for years what political, economic and financial results instability leads to. German soldiers are in Kosovo, German soldiers are in Bosnia… In Kosovo alone, for one million people, Europe raised €10 billion ($12 billion) to maintain the ceasefire. Peace pays off, after all. As Luxemburg's prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, said: A year of peace costs less than a day of war!
The second is an enormous economic profit -- especially for Germany. It arises from (the fact) that this economic area will be populated after all by 110 million people, if we include Romania and Bulgaria, and everywhere here there is an immense unsatisfied demand. We have very stabile, very robust growth rates in these countries, that are noticeably above the growth rates in the remainder of the EU. The export-oriented German economy profits particularly from this quickly growing market.
But initially the Germans will have to dig deeper into their pockets for the expansion. The European Commission has demanded more money for it, more than €37 billion will be pumped into the new countries in the coming years. How can you make that appealing to the taxpayer?
The financing for this expansion round was already decided in Berlin in 1999. We are spending around €15 billion less than was then calculated and will get by with a total of €40 billion until 2006. The new countries will pay €15 billion of that themselves. All in all, the expansion will cost Germany a net total of €2.5 billion in the first three years. On the other hand, Germany will have an enormous trade balance surplus. That's why viewed economically it's a win-win situation. It makes no sense to say that the expansion will lead to an additional burden for the Germans

Look on the other side. They could continue the overland round with all the risk that entails, or bring the gas directly to their customers in Western Europe along a pipeline that is 100% under their control. Not only that, but they have the capital to invest in the pipeline today, no more transit fees in the future, only maintenance costs which are already being paid on the overland route.

Why? All I am saying Poland should not be dependant neither on Russian, nor on German supplies. Who pays

In the first place, it's a peace project. It creates peace, stability, and safety in the region of Europe that immediately borders Germany

The export-oriented German economy profits particularly from this quickly growing market.

It makes no sense to say that the expansion will lead to an additional burden for the Germans.

Didn't you hear the news Nathan? Germany is accused for not importing to much, not spending to much, for saving to much, for exporting to much and hence being the main blame for the european crisis!

Just a dream...other than that Poland suddenly finds huge oil resources on it's soil it will be always dependent on other countries for it's energy (like Germany).

Now as Germany hesitated in the case of Greece you see how "peaceful" Europe became!

Germany does what is essential for its security, nobody's else. And this is fine. I once argued about that, but not anymore. Again I am suggesting for Poland to keep diversified and not rely on its neighbors.

Being an occupied country for 50 years...there wasn't much choice!

There wasn't a lot of screaming for the US and Brits to take their armor out while 4000 Soviet tanks were sitting next door. US had a nice forward operating country, and Germany didn't have to pump money into strategic defense.

This "sitting next door" was also Germany! That's what I meant with being occupied and not having much choice...certain geopolitical facts didn't made it possible.

Should Poland made a deal with Russia ?

USA doesn't care about Poland.

In EU Germany is ruling and place of Poland in Germans plans is to be a bridge

and if sided with Russia... We would be political vassals?

USA doesn't care about Poland. They interest in this country is only about dibs.

So, In EU Germany is ruling and place of Poland in Germans plans is to be a bridge - energy bridge.
Good deal with Russia wouldn't be bad for Poland.

The Nord Stream line circumventing Poland to Germany shows the E.U's weakness, in my opinion.
Are we a European Union or still stuck in our internal conflicts?