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VERONA, Italy, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Russia's Nord Stream-2 pipeline project, led by Gazprom GAZP.MM , is hoping to attract new financing options, Communications Director Ulrich Lissek said on Thursday.
The 9.9-billion euro ($10.81 billion) project has faced questions over its financing since Poland's anti-monopoly watchdog objected to a consortium which was to finance, build and operate the new pipeline. and its European partners agreed the Nord Stream-2 project last year, but critics have said it could limit supply routes and the energy security of the European Union, which gets a third of its gas from Russia. said the project had not failed and it was now looking for new ways to finance the pipeline, which aims to double the amount of gas shipped from Russia to Germany via Baltic sea.
The Polish decision opposed Gazprom's planned joint venture with Uniper EONGn.DE , Wintershall BASFn.DE , Shell RDSa.L , OMV OMVV.VI and Engie ENGIE.PA .
Lissek said these companies remained committed to the project. He said the project was progressing "according to plan", and would start gas exports in early 2019.
($1 = 0.9158 euros)
(reporting by Oksana Kobzeva, writing by Denis Pinchuk, editing by Jack Stubbs and Jane Merriman)