Press Releases
[Press release] Recommendations of the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee on Via Baltica
WWF, OTOP and Bankwatch have alarmed that the Polish authorities did not follow the procedures required within the Polish and UE environmental legislation when planning the routing of the international expressway Via Baltica through north-eastern Poland. The alternatives for this fragment of the route have not been analyzed. The Polish authorities have also neglected conducting a full Strategic Environmental Assessment for possible routings, although this, along with the thorough economic analysis, should be a basis for the choice of the best variant. And the Bialystok option preferred by the Polish Government cuts through the most valuable nature areas of this part of Poland: the Biebrza National Park, the Narev Valley, Augustowska and Knyszynska Forests.
The arguments of the ecological NGOs and other opponents of the proposed variant of Via Baltica routing are backed by the opinion of the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee. In the declarations and recommendations signed during the meeting of the Committee on April 28-29 in Warsaw, one reads: the development of the Via Baltica should be fully consistent with the requirements of EU environmental Directives, including the full Strategic Environmental Assessment. The relevant EU funds can only be used for infrastructure projects compatible with the EC environmental acquis. The Director General of the DG Enlargement European Commission, Eneko Landaburu Illarramendi concluded openly that the EU will not support the development of Polish part of Via Baltica with its funds unless the full Strategic Environmental Assessment is made for the investment.
The conservation organizations insist on conducting strategic environmental assessments for all the possible variants of the Via Baltica routing, including the Lomza alternative which spears the wildlife of this part of Poland. They also appeal for thorough economic analysis of all the discussed routings, including the environmental and social costs of the investment.
"The statement of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure that the Bialystok routing offers environmental and economic advantages is simply ungrounded. Only the full Strategic Environmental Assessment and economic analysis allows for such conclusions. We hope that the Polish Authorities will treat the Committee recommendations seriously and conduct these analysis as soon as possible" - says Malgorzata Znaniecka, the WWF "Biebrza National Park" Project Leader.
More information on:
World Wide Fund Poland
Additional information:
Malgorzata Znanieckal
"Biebrza National Park" Project Leader
WWF
0604 261 525
mznaniecka at wwf.pl
Pawel Plonczkier
Via Baltica Project Coordinator
OTOP
0603 773 698
viabaltica at otop.most.org.pl
Robert Cyglicki,
CEE Bankwatch Network-Poland
0609 686 793
robertc at bankwatch.org
CEE Bankwatch Network gratefully acknowledges EU funding support.