All At Sea

In a commentary, Transitions Online focuses on Gerhard Schroeder's involvement in the Baltic Sea pipeline project, and doesn't like what it sees:

Schroeder has, in one move, cast doubt on himself, on one of Europe’s major energy deals, on his whole conduct of Germany’s eastern policy, and on his style of policy-making. Were the difficult questions about this deal simply swept aside? Was the decision-making process distorted by a private agenda? Did he allow personal sympathy to determine Germany’s relationship with Russia – and did that influence his attitude to countries with whom Russia has strained relations, countries like Poland, Ukraine, and the Baltic states (all of whom, as it happens, are affected by this particular deal)?