The German government is planning to grant a final permit for the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline as early as March 2017. according to Andriy Kobolyev. head of the board of the national state holding Naftogaz of Ukraine. The pipeline bypassing Ukraine will run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea and take a share of gas transit away from the Ukrainian gas transmission system. according to Mr Kobolyev who spoke at a roundtable in Kyiv Friday. an UNIAN correspondent reports. `According to our information. as early as in March. German government plans to grant a final permit for the construction [of Nord Stream-2]. If it happens. this will be a matter of months. We urgently need the voice of a foreign partner. and we must lobby for Ukrainian transit to remain in place.` he said. Read also CNBC: Ukraine `desperately concerned` Russia could soon attack its gas pipeline – expert Kobolyev also noted that the gas pipeline bypassing Ukraine would be working at full capacity. taking up volumes of gas that will be withdrawn from the Ukrainian direction.