Swedish Island Likely to Deny Lease of Port to Nord Stream Gas Pipeline Project

The Swedish Gotland island municipality heads are likely to no longer support the decision to lease a port to Russia's Nord Stream gas pipeline project, after the Swedish government expressed concern over the project on Wednesday, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to The Local news outlet, the island's administration changed their opinion on the issue after the Swedish government said it was concerned over how the pipeline could affect the country's defense policy. However, the government further acknowledged that the decision would be up to Gotland's regional heads.

Gotland is a Swedish island and province located in the Baltic Sea off the southeastern coast of Sweden.

The Nord Stream 2 project intends to build two new pipelines in the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany. In order to make way for the pipeline, Goltland would need to lease a port in the northern city of Slite.