TALLINN — Little Estonia’s objection may halt Russia and Germany’s Nord Stream project after all.

Since the pipeline doesn’t pass through Estonian-controlled waters, its permission is not needed. However, Finland’s is and Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb said today that the opinions of neighboring countries are very important when evaluating large projects such as the Nord Stream.

The Estonian Parliament recently declared that the environmental impact assessment done by Nord Stream was insufficient and demanded that countries around the Baltic Sea take a closer look at what the company, majority-owned by the Russia state, is doing.

Stubb said in Stockholm on Wednesday that Finland is interested in what the Baltic nations — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — have to say on the project.

“I think that the most important thing is to talk about it and we are therefore discussing with each European Union country. Our position is to abide by the international orders, which we are doing,” Stubb said.

The Riigikogu highlighted concerns that the pipeline could disturb the seabed, releasing poisonous elements or explode unused ordinance from WWII.

Nord Stream is downplayed the environmental damage the pipeline could create and accused the Riigikogu of playing politics instead of genuinely caring about the ecological situation.

The 1,220 km underwater pipeline will connect Russia with Germany down the middle of the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream plans to build the first line by 2011 and build a second line a year later.

Russia and Germany claim that the project will help meet part of Europe needs additional gas imports.