The Estonian National Congress in Sweden (ENCS) received a reply to their letter of February 5th, 2016, to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallström, regarding the leasing of Gotlands harbor Slite facilities to Nord Stream. In her reply the Swedish Foreign Minister stated that Sweden will follow international agreements and that the local authorities of Gotland have a high level of independence in making such decisions.

Consequently ENCS adopted a resolution on April 23, 2016, expressing concern for international security in the Baltic Sea area. The ENCS’s resolution pointed out that decisions, which are about to be made by the Gotland Island local authorities, could severly impact security and environment in the Baltic Sea.

The Chariman of the ENCS Committee on Politics and International Affairs, Evelin Tamm, stated in the resolution that ENCS is monitoring very closely developments on both shores of the Baltic Sea and is deeply concerned about the forthcoming decision to grant North Stream’s wish to expand its service facilites in the harobor at Slite, as this potentially serious environmental and security risk needs to be examined in a wider context and demands also a greater public debate.

Aho Rebas of the ENCS Committee on Politics and Internatiomal Affairs also pointed out that Gotland is a strategic base to anyone who wants to control the Baltic Sea. In view of Putin’s recent behavior towards Russia’s neighboring countries, the leasing of Slite Harbor facilities to Gazprom could put both Swedish and Estonian security at risk.