Schroeder faces criticism over planned role at Russian gas consortium

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder faced criticism Friday over plans to take on a leading position at a consortium building a gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

As chancellor, &to=http://english.pravda.ru/world/2002/08/08/34115.html' target=_blank>Schroeder enjoyed a close personal and professional relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But now critics question the ethics of him standing to gain personally from a major financial deal that he supported in his role as chancellor.

"It stinks," said Reinhard Buetikofer, co-chairman of Germany's Greens, which had been the junior party in a coalition with Schroeder's Social Democrats until September. The Social Democrats continue to govern along with the conservative Christian Democrats in a so-called grand coalition, while the Greens are in the opposition.