The problem is at the time northstream was legal, companies invested into this, they contracted insurers etc. And if people harm private property then authorities will follow the legal system. Unless germany somehow passes a law that allows to handle this case differently and decide who else shall eat the costs, then this is what german authorities are expected to do.

The best way is for Poland to claim they somehow lost the guy and he gets issued a new passport and new identity from Ukraine and the case will be closed after 10 years of no progress. Because northstream investors and insurers won't back down and using taxpayer money also doesn't seem right.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Okay, you are correct in that a proper investigation in such a scenario is required. But there is leeway in:

prioritizing crimes to investigate - a LOT more damage was done - upwards of 30 billions of German taxpayer money, and this shit is ongoing, with the Cum-Cum / Cum-Ex tax evasion schemes and the involvement of our previous chancellor in it. Those fuckers are still walking without handcuffs
how to deal with the outcome of an investigation. German courts can determine guilt, but only the German government can request an extradition. And if there's no money to be had from the individual to be extradited, then they might as well say "we stand with Ukraine, and while we would have appreciated this could have been handled differently, we recognize Ukraine's right to defend themselves". Northstream investors and insurers can be compensated for actual losses (not for non-materialized gains if it can be avoided, that's another way of theft) from tax money for all I care - as a taxpayer.

[–] smokeysnilas@feddit.org 3 points 3 weeks ago

You're right about Cum-Ex, it's a disgrace. Taxpayer money would be better then burdening Ukraine, but ideally investors can eat shit. Even if investing into russia was legal, it wasn't morally ok since a long time. But as it stands, Germany also had/has severe Cum-Ex corruption problems and stubbornly following bureaucratic process is part of the culture and that's how it is.

So really Poland should loose the guy, it's the possible best outcome.