The Third Criminal Senate of the Hansa Regional Court has refused to grant the subsidiary claims filed by Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG in the case concerning the destruction of Nord Stream pipelines.
On Friday, the Court announced that it found no “special reasons” to justify the opening of a subsidiary claim. According to the ruling, the applicants failed to demonstrate a particular procedural need for protection stemming from the economic consequences of the crime.
The applicants had argued that the destruction of the pipelines caused them “existential damage.” However, the Senate did not agree with this assessment. The estimated restoration costs, which were in the mid-three-figure million range, were deemed insufficient to constitute a total economic loss when compared to the initial investment costs of 7.4 and 9.5 billion Euros, respectively. Furthermore, the Court noted that the continuing economic consequences were attributable to political reactions rather than the explosion itself.
The request for subsidiary claims aimed at defending against potential accusations by the defendant was also rejected. Currently, there is no indication that the accused or their defense will make such accusations during the main trial. If the situation changes, the applicants could reapply for status as subsidiary plaintiffs. Additionally, the specialized need for protection cannot be based solely on the economic interest of enforcing civil claims, as the civil procedure law already provides sufficient mechanisms for this purpose.
