Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
Osnabruck (ots)
After Greenpeace protest: Economics Minister rejects return to the restricted area around the state parliament and expects approval for gas production in front of Borkum
Olaf Lies “definitely does not want” another ban mile – Minister sticks to gas drilling plans: “According to all the information that I have known so far, gas production off Borkum is possible”
Osnabruck. Lower Saxony’s Economics Minister Olaf Lies rejects the return to a restricted area around the state parliament in Hanover. In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ), when asked whether such a protective mechanism was needed again for the parliament building following the spectacular Greenpeace protest action last week against the planned gas drilling off Borkum, the SPD politician said: ” Absolutely not. We can’t punish those who register their demonstrations and use the many serious opportunities to talk to us when others don’t follow the rules.”
Lies sharply condemned the form of the protest: “There’s no justification for Greenpeace activists climbing the parliament building, who then refuse to come down again and trigger a police operation with special forces. It’s just not possible.”
Meanwhile, the economics minister confirmed in the NOZ the state’s plan to drill for natural gas off Borkum. “We decided during the grand coalition that we want and need this gas production in view of the new geopolitical situation with a war in the middle of Europe, and now there is a factual examination.” In his own words, Lies assumes that approval will be obtained. “According to all the information that I know so far, gas production off Borkum is possible, but we have to wait for the results of the official examination.”
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