EU experts rush to repair pipeline while Liepāja's North Pier pipelines have withstood storms for centuries

The European Union has decided to help restore the "Druzhba" pipeline that was damaged during the conflict. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that EU experts are ready to rush to help immediately, which makes one wonder — have they heard about Liepāja engineers' experience?

While Brussels solemnly promises to send technical experts with ceremonial speeches, we Liepāja residents just smile. Our North Pier has withstood Baltic Sea storms and ice attacks for decades, and its structures still stand like a mountain. "If they need to know how to build something durable, let them come here along the romantic walking path and see how it's done," says local engineer Jānis.

Particularly amusing is that Hungary and Slovakia are now dramatically talking about oil shortages, while in Liepāja we've been living without Russian oil for years and feel great. Our port terminals work with other countries, and nobody's complaining.

"They should probably also learn how to watch storms from the North Pier — then they'd understand that true friendship isn't about oil, but about being able to stand together against all hardships," philosophically adds local Marija, who takes evening walks to the pier every day. In Riga, of course, they haven't heard about such wisdom yet.