The first construction phase of Poland’s Vislinsky channel through the spit with access to the Baltic sea to bypass Russia — is completed. Environmentalists, local residents and the majority of international experts believe the Polish project is meaningless. But the country is not bothered. The construction of the canal through Vislinsky (Baltic) braid, despite the prohibitions of the European Commission, the IRE of local residents and the objections of environmentalists in Poland continues. During the beginning of the election campaign heated debates around the construction site again. Why do they need this channel?The idea of creating your own channel using Vislinsky braid for access to the Baltic sea in Polish society for a long time. According to the Polish politician, teacher, political scientist, journalist and Deputy of the Sejm of the fifth convocation Mateusz Piskorski, he’d heard about it since 2005.— An active proponent of building the canal was the previous government of the party “law and justice”. The inhabitants of the spit were always against it, because it will break the ecosystem and the tourism sector. According to experts of universities and ecologists, in the channel there is no economic need. It is absolutely senseless from the point of view of the development of the region. In Poland there are already a large sea port near gdańsk and Gdynia. The aim of the project is purely political — that Poland could be free from any dependence on Russia, he says.
Digging to spite the neighbor. Why Poland is building a channel through the Baltic spit?
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Says researcher of the RAS Institute of Slavonic studies and a fellow at the Center for Ukrainian and Belarusian studies at the Historical faculty of Moscow state University Oleg Nemensky, the idea turned into political action: “Poland, building a channel, can win a geopolitical victory, establishing their independence and demonstrating Moscow’s power.” The construction of the canal began in the fall of 2019. According to the Minister of economy of the Maritime and inland waterway transport Poland Grabarczyk Brands, recently completed the first phase of the project.— To date, cut down forests on 25 acres. Workers build an artificial island. They are taken on trucks to the ground and dumped him into the sea. Constructing supports of two bridges and jetties, — said the doctor of historical Sciences, chief research worker and scientific Secretary of the Russian Institute for strategic studies Oksana Petrovskaya.While access to the elbląg Polish court can only through the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. Despite the fact that at no time Russia has imposed a ban on the passage of the poles is very confused.— For passage through the Strait of the Russian take from the vessel not more than 50 euros. It is quite inexpensive. But for the Polish consciousness of the fact that they have to ask our permission and pay for it, is painful. New port Ekon��mikeski does not justify itself. Save it for the Polish shipowners only hundreds of euros per year, — said Oleg Nemensky.As noted by the expert of the Russian Institute for strategic studies Oksana Petrovskaya, each time construction costs increase. If initially the project cost was estimated at 900 million zlotys, now — almost 2 billion PLN.— Each tender increases the price by 20%. The Bay freezes a few times a year, and the channel’s content will cost a large amount, she explained.
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On the other hand, the canal will open new opportunities for Poland.— The sea route will become more direct. According to the 2009 agreement between Russia and Poland through the Russian, the Strait may be used only by commercial vessels. The yacht must receive notice. Border, police and other non-commercial vessels to enter is prohibited. Moreover, due to the construction in Poland there are new jobs. There are more than 50 Polish companies — said Peter. In Russia, there are fears that the channel is being built to create a naval base of NATO in Elblag.— This unlikely idea, because the channel depth is only 5 meters. There will not be able to undergo large and heavy warships, only light and medium sizes. The military arguments should not be taken as really serious, — said Nemensky. Environmentalists are sounding the alarm. The European Commission banned the construction of the canal — Poland didn’t listen to anyone. No international examination with the participation of the countries concerned was conducted.— The first thing that was alarming — the water exchange between the Baltic sea and Gdansk Bay. The consequences of Perekop spit and dredging is quite predictable — from the appearance of turbidity and the destruction of spawning grounds of commercial fish species to extinction some bird species, under the protection of the European program, — said the Chairman of the Kaliningrad branch of the Interregional ecological public organization “Green front” Oleg Ivanov.To complete the construction plan in 2022. But, according to Piskorski, it’s unlikely.
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— Within each electoral campaign, the candidates PR on this topic. On the eve of presidential elections, the interest in it was revived with new force, to show what massive shifts taking place. Everyone who is against, wrongly accused that they are “lobbying the interests of Russia.” The pandemic is coming, economic crisis, and there will be a more important expenditure. I doubt that this project in General�� will be held until the end. International shipments are on the decline, the load on each port of the Baltic sea has decreased, and in the next few years a new port and transport hub, we will not have — summed up the conversation, he.
