The European Commission has decided to provide Finland with 800 thousand euros in connection with damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline, according to a press release on the EC website.
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“Emergency funding in the amount of 800 thousand euros from the Internal Security Fund will be provided to the Border Guard and the Finnish Navy. These funds will be used to cover the costs associated with ensuring security in the area of the incident, as well as to investigate the fact of disruption of the Balticconnector pipeline,” the message said.
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The Balticconnector gas pipeline was stopped on the night of October 8. Then the Finnish operator Gasgrid Finland noted that the gas pipeline was not working due to a possible leak. Finnish police reported on October 24 that the Chinese ship Newnew Polar Bear, flying the Hong Kong flag, was allegedly responsible for the damage to the gas pipeline; repeated attempts to contact the ship’s crew were unsuccessful.
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Finnish operator Gasgrid Finland announced the start of a study of the gas pipeline, and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that damage to the Balticconnector could not be caused by natural causes. The Finnish Central Criminal Police are investigating the damage as vandalism.
