Russian oil company Rosneft: Schröder leaves the supervisory board

Former Chancellor Schröder wants to give up his position as head of the supervisory board at the Russian oil company Rosneft. The company announced this. Schröder had stated that it was impossible for him to extend his mandate.

Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) wants to leave the supervisory board of the Russian state oil company Rosneft. Schröder, who is the head of the Rosneft supervisory board, said it was impossible for him to extend his mandate on the board. No details or reasons were given.

The 78-year-old Schröder, a longtime friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has recently been under massive pressure in the face of demands in Germany that he no longer works as an oil and gas lobbyist for Russia because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Among other things, Schröder caused a stir when, in the middle of the escalation before the Russian attack on the neighboring country, he criticized Ukraine’s demands for arms deliveries as “saber rattling”.

Privileges lost, threatened with sanctions

Several applications for Schröder’s party expulsion are pending in the SPD. Just yesterday, the budget committee of the Bundestag cut the funds for the office and staff of the former chancellor – on the grounds that he no longer performs any tasks related to his former office. Last year, more than 400,000 euros flowed from the state coffers for personnel expenses in Schröder’s office. According to the decision, the former chancellor is still entitled to a pension and personal protection. Schröder has the withdrawal of his former chancellor privileges legally reviewed.

Criticism of Schröder has also become louder at European level since the Russian attack on Ukraine. Yesterday, the EU Parliament passed a resolution in favor of sanctions against Schröder should he hold on to his posts in Russian companies despite the war.

Schröder also involved in Nord Stream 2

In addition to his seat on the Rosneft supervisory board, the SPD politician also holds management positions in the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipeline projects – both natural gas pipelines through the Baltic Sea connecting Russia and Germany. The pending commissioning of Nord Stream 2 has now been put on hold by the federal government.

According to Rosneft, the German businessman Matthias Warnig, who sat on the board with Schröder, also withdrew from the board. Warnig is the head of the Nord Stream 2 operating company.