Poland blocks Finnish politician from EU top job

EurActiv reports that Poland has made it clear in September 2009 that it refuses to support former Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen's candidacy as EU foreign policy chief, on the grounds that he works for Gazprom on the Nord Stream pipeline project.

In January 2010 EurActiv reported Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski telling the Polish National Assembly's foreign affairs committee that the Nord Stream pipeline project was 'a waste of European consumers' money'.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Patten keen to become EU foreign minister http://www.europeansources.info/record/patten-keen-to-become-eu-foreign-minister/

Wikipedia: High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Representative_for_the_Common_Foreign_and_Security_Policy

Robert Schuman Foundation: Understanding the Lisbon Treaty: Fact Sheet: Sheet 10: The Lisbon Treaty and the Union's external action http://www.robert-schuman.eu/doc/divers/lisbonne/en/fiche10.pdf

ESO: Background information: The North-European Gas Pipeline (NEGP) http://www.europeansources.info/record/website-nord-stream/

ESO: Background information: Lithuania gives cold shoulder to Nord Stream http://www.europeansources.info/record/lithuania-gives-cold-shoulder-to-nord-stream/

EurActiv, 11.1.10: Nord Stream 'a waste of money', says Poland http://www.euractiv.com/en/energy/nord-stream-waste-money-poland/article-188727

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