Nord Stream 2 Must Be Restored: Alternative for Germany Party

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The German government must restore the damaged Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline system amid high inflation in the country, right-wing opposition party Alternative For Germany (AfD) said on Twitter.

"In February, Germany had again a massive inflation rate of 8.7%. The requirements of the AfD must be fulfilled now. They include lower taxes, energy transition, the restoration and usage of Nord Stream 2!" the party said on Wednesday.

The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, have been inoperable since they were hit by explosions in September. Nord Stream's operator, Nord Stream AG, said that the damage was unprecedented and it was impossible to estimate the time repairs might take.

Russia considers the explosions of the two pipelines an act of international terrorism. There are no official results of the investigation yet, but US journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh alleged that the explosions were organized by the United States with the support of Norway. The US denies its involvement in the incident.

According to the German Federal Network Agency, the explosions did not have a significant impact on gas imports to Germany, as no gas had been supplied through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline since early September, while Nord Stream 2 had never even started operations.

The German Federal Statistical Office published a press release on Wednesday showing the country's inflation rate in February amounted to 8.7%, the same figure as in January.